Few observers would describe the last week as being a positive one for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

South Africa's Electoral Court ruled on Tuesday that Ramaphosa's rival, former president Jacob Zuma, can run for office in the upcoming general election — overturning an earlier decision that had barred Zuma from the vote.

But the electoral commission said Friday that it had appealed the ruling to the country's highest judicial authority, the Constitutional Court.

Zuma, who used to lead the ruling African National Congress (ANC), now fronts the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK) — named after the ANC's former military wing.

The new opposition party has emerged as a potentially significant player on the political field since its formation in 2023.

And, as another thorn in Ramaphosa's side, a recent poll suggested the embattled ANC may garner as little as 37% of the vote in South Africa's May 29 election.

The ANC has been steadily losing support for years, but figures released by the South African think tank, the Social Research Foundation, suggest that following next month's election, Zuma's MK party could have become South Africa's third-biggest political force after the main opposition Democratic Alliance.

MK could win 13% of the vote, with the Democratic Alliance scoring 25%, according to the figures.

MK's political ambitions were boosted this week when the Electoral Court, which arbitrates election-related cases, overturned an earlier decision that had barred Zuma from........

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