Political parties say polls had irregularities
Nomazulu Moyo
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – A group of political parties in South Africa has raised concerns over the manner in which the recent elections were conducted.
In a letter addressed to Sy Mamabolo, the chief electoral officer of the Electoral Commission of South Africa dated 1 June 2024, the parties expressed dissatisfaction with various aspects of the electoral process.
Represented by Boruchowitz Attorneys, a wide spectrum of parties such as ACC, ACP, ACT, ACDP, SUN, COPE, UDM, XILUVA, AADP, PA, CIASA, PMC, AHC, AMC, ARA, UAT, AM4C, APC, AL-JAMAH, SARA, MK, UIM, SARKO, ATM, and OHM, registered several concerns.
Grievances:
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Insufficient Timeframe for Condonation: The parties argue that the time frame provided by the IEC for condonation is inadequate. They request an extension until 22h30 to allow parties to prepare and submit evidence of irregularities in the election process.
Systemic Irregularities and Discrepancies: The parties allege widespread irregularities and discrepancies in the electoral process, which they claim have infringed upon their constitutional rights to a free and fair election. They assert that these irregularities have directly impacted the final election results.
Calls for Remedial Action: The parties demand an extension of the condonation timeframe to allow for major supplementary submissions and urge the IEC to defer the declaration of election results until all submissions are reviewed.
Disagreement with Limited Recount Provision: The parties express disagreement with the limited recount provision announced by the IEC, citing numerous irregularities that warrant a more comprehensive review of the election process.
The letter concludes by warning that if the IEC fails to respond to their concerns in a reasonable manner, the parties would explore legal options available to them.
The IEC has yet to respond to these allegations, and the outcome of the parties’ requests remains to be seen. As South Africa navigates through this post-election period, the integrity of its electoral processes hangs in the balance, with the spotlight firmly fixed on the actions of the Independent Electoral Commission.
