FORMER South African president Jacob Zuma was barred today from running for a parliamentary seat in the upcoming national elections due to a previous criminal conviction.

The Constitutional Court ruled that a section of the constitution disqualifying people from standing for parliament if they have been sentenced to more than 12 months in prison without the option of a fine does apply to the 82-year-old.

Mr Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in prison in 2021 by the same court for contempt after refusing to testify at a judicial inquiry into government corruption.