By Edward Qorro
Jacob Zuma, a former South African president, epitomises the art of survival in politics as he returns to the electoral spotlight after six years, aiming to reclaim the rainbow nation's highest office.
At 82, Zuma's charisma may remain undimmed, but his path to the presidency is fraught with legal obstacles.
As he prepares for the May 29 battle at the hustings, the country's Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has called Zuma's eligibility into question, citing a 2021 conviction for contempt of court.
Zuma, who was president from May 2009 to February 2018, is not having it easy within his uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party either. State broadcaster SABC reported last week that he was facing an attempt to oust him from leadership positions in the party.
His alleged closeness to the controversial Indian-born Gupta family and their shady network of businesses is also a sore point, having already caused his estrangement from his erstwhile party, the African National Congress (ANC).
Zuma's feud with President Cyril Ramaphosa, once his deputy, saw him jump ship to MK, which used to be ANC's paramilitary wing during the anti-apartheid movement.
Not many people expect MK's debut in electoral politics to propel Zuma, aka "JZ", straight to the presidency. However, the party could cut into ANC's vote share, in which case the leadership race would be split wide open.
In April, an Ipsos survey showed MK could win more than 8% of the vote, while the ANC risks losing its absolute majority in the Parliament for the first time.
Zuma's reputation as an enigmatic politician laying claim to ANC's heritage also isn't something to be scoffed at, say analysts.
Son of the soil
Although Zuma's opponents are many, his supporters believe he is still the right man for the job.
They argue that he is a son of the soil and a politician who's been there and done that, making him deserving of the responsibility of shaping South Africa's 30-year-old post-apartheid political landscape.
"Zuma is probably the man of the moment. He was among the freedom fighters who spent many years fighting for South Africa and even getting imprisoned," Charles Odero, executive director of Civic and Legal Aid Organisation (CiLAO), tells TRT Afrika.
Jacob Zuma was born in 1942 in the rural area of Nkandla. His father, a police officer, died when Zuma was five years old. Although he never received any formal education, he got several honorary doctorates.
In 1962, Zuma was imprisoned for fighting apartheid. He went into exile in 1975, returned to South Africa triumphantly in 1990, and became president in 2009.
Odero believes Zuma has the people's trust despite what he terms "a political accident", alluding to the corruption scandal that dented his image. "South Africans still hold Zuma dear to their hearts," he says.
In the current electoral race, Odero reckons Zuma will give ANC and other political outfits, including Julius Malema's EFF, a tough fight.
"If these parties fail to meet the required threshold to form a government, they will definitely create a coalition. This could work to Zuma's advantage," he explains.
The South African Constitution stipulates that members of Parliament elect the President.
Inopportune time
Some analysts argue that, regardless of the court's decision, this might not be the right time for Zuma to stake claim to the presidency.
Moses Allan Adam, president of the Tanzania-based Friends of East Africa International Council, points out that Zuma still needs to be absolved of corruption before he can run for President.
"I don't think he is the right person to lead South Africa at this moment," says Adam, whose organisation works as a pressure group for regional integration.
As the clock ticks on the constitutional court that will give its verdict on Zuma's candidacy, South Africans can't wait to see whether the former president gets his second wind or his adversaries have the last laugh.
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