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South Africa ANC election majority not enough to change constitution

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] The African National Congress (ANC) was formally declared the winner of South African parliamentary elections Saturday, but its win fell short of the two-thirds majority of seats needed to change or amend the country's constitution and pass legislation on its own. The election clears the way for party leader Jacob Zuma to be named president upon the reconvening of Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. A number of opposition parties, including the Congress of the People (COPE), formed by supporters of Zuma's political rival, former ANC leader and South African president Thabo Mbeki criticized the ANC during the vote, arguing that a landslide ANC election win would result in too much power - including the power to change the constitution unopposed - being concentrated in the hands of one party. Parliament is expected to reconvene next month. Earlier this month, the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa (NPA) decided to drop corruption charges against Zuma after a long legal battle. In January, the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa reinstated the charges, which had been invalidated in September. Zuma was first charged with corruption in 2005, but those charges were later dismissed because prosecutors failed to follow proper procedures.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on April 25, 2009 (boomark / email).