JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — South Africa’s turbulent political landscape entered a new phase of uncertainty Monday as a court cleared the way for a corruption case against ruling party leader Jacob Zuma, who is expected to be elected the nation’s president this spring.
The Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that a lower court had erred in its September decision to dismiss graft charges against Zuma on a technicality. The lower court decision, which also suggested that there had been a high-level political plot to prosecute Zuma, led the ruling African National Congress to oust Zuma rival Thabo Mbeki as president of South Africa.
Monday’s decision raised the prospect that Zuma might be defending himself in court while campaigning for president in an election year when the dominant ANC faces its strongest challenge yet from a breakaway party. Analysts said revived charges could cost the ruling party votes but were unlikely to stop it from winning or Zuma from becoming president.
Zuma faces 16 counts of corruption, fraud, money laundering and racketeering stemming from a multibillion-dollar arms deal.
ANC officials, who argue that Zuma is the target of a scheme to keep him from the presidency, have said he is likely to file an appeal to the nation’s highest court. He has been battling the charges for several years.
The party said in a statement Monday that Zuma would remain its presidential candidate.
