Former president Jacob Zuma's victory in the Electoral Court yesterday will embolden his MK Party's campaign ahead of next month's polls and likely cause a major headache for the ANC.

But analysts have expressed mixed views on whether the court ruling in favour of Zuma against the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) would sway public perception against the elections body. The Electoral Court overturned the IEC's decision to bar Zuma from contesting next month's elections because of his 2021 criminal record. The ruling means Zuma will be on the ballot paper as MK Party's candidate for president.

Prof Kealeboga Maphunye from Unisa said the win would boost the MK Party tremendously in their campaign efforts.

"I foresee a tremendous boost to its campaign trail. The win might also affect the public image of the IEC, especially among the MK and Jacob Zuma supporters who might feel that the IEC might have been biased against Zuma," Maphunye said.

"On the other hand, those people who still believe the IEC as a body of integrity might feel that these newly formed parties such as the MK Party are trying to undermine the integrity of the IEC by challenging its decisions in court. The IEC is the end-all and be-all of elections in SA and to challenge the IEC decision and win ... that might affect the integrity and the perception of the public as the body that runs elections," he said.

Prof Maphunye believes that MK had a fighting chance, especially in KZN, but added that it was going to be a tough battle for ANC, IFP, EFF and Rise Mzansi.

Since its formation late last year, the MK Party has been t embroiled in court battles with the ANC over the party's logo and identity. 

Last month, the Brenthurst Foundation released a survey which claimed the MK Party was set to be the largest political party in KZN with 25% of the votes, leaving behind the ANC with 20% of votes. They said the party could snatch 13% of the national votes, beating the likes of the EFF while eating from the ANC's electorate in other provinces. 

Terry Tselane, chairman of the Institute of Election Management Services in Africa, said facts showed that the IEC erred in its decision to have Zuma disqualified.

"The decision also means both the IEC and the MK Party can now continue with the preparations and management of their respective responsibilities. MK can now focus on the images of their campaigning for the 29th of May. It [the win] has given MK Party the moral boost in terms of going forward," Tselane said.

He added that  the IEC would have to ensure that going forward it does not do things that would make people question its credibility.

"They have to try to understand the significance of this moment in the history of SA and therefore try to do things in terms of the law because the more they make elementary mistakes on some of their issues, the more people are going to be questioning them in terms of their capacity to operate in integrity and without any blame being placed on them," Tselane told Sowetan. 

University of Free State's Prof Sethulego Matebesi said:  "I don't think people will now doubt the credibility of the IEC. South Africans have already decided who they are going to vote for. Things like this will not have a huge impact on how people vote," Matebesi said.

Prof Tinyiko Maluleke said the win reinforced the party's decision to have Zuma as the face of their election campaign. According to him, MK Party would not bring any newer headaches for the ANC.

"The ANC will have to contest MK with Zuma as the face of the party. I doubt it is necessarily an additional headache. Having the headache of having to contest a party led by the former president of the ANC started last year and continues, I don't think it became worse today [yesterday]," he said.

Maluleke said the public's perception of the IEC should be more good than bad as it proves that the IEC can also make mistakes and that it did not have the final word.

"The IEC is an instrument of SA democracy. It affirms the instruments that are in place, the role and necessity of the Electoral Court, and it tells South Africans that we are all equal before the law.