South Africa's election authority to announce final result despite threats by former president Zuma

Source: WION

South Africa Elections 2024: Speaking at a press conference, late Saturday, Zuma insisted that the official result not be announced on Sunday after his party and at least 20 others lodged objections with the IEC over what they claimed was vote rigging.

South Africa's election authority said that it will announce the final results of the recently concluded elections on Sunday (Jun 2) afternoon, despite threats from former President Jacob Zuma and his party uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) who said it would "be provoking us" after he complained about unspecified "serious" issues.

South Africa's Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has ensured that it will announce the final results of the elections later today despite threats by Zuma, at a press briefing late Saturday (Jun 1).

Moepya also expressed confidence in the transparency of the systems put in place by the IEC to ensure "credible, free and fair elections".

Speaking at a press conference, late Saturday, Zuma insisted that the official result not be announced on Sunday after his party and at least 20 others lodged objections with the IEC over what they claimed was vote rigging.

The former president's party, in addition to an inquiry into the elections, has also called for a recount and threatened to take legal action against IEC. However, he provided no evidence to back these claims.

"We are going to need the time. Nobody must declare (the final election result) tomorrow. If that happens, people will be provoked, we know what we are talking about," said Zuma. He added, "Nobody is going to die if the results are not announced tomorrow."

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"Don't start trouble when there is no trouble," said the former president, adding that the complaints need to be looked into by the IEC as "those being in charge cannot investigate themselves".

Zuma's brief imprisonment in 2021 led to riots which claimed more than 350 lives, in the country's worst violence since the advent of democracy. The former president was found guilty of contempt of court by the country's highest court at the time.

"We want a total revote," MK spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said at the results centre, minutes before an electoral commission news conference was due to start, according to Reuters.

Ndhlela claimed MK had evidence that the election commission's system was rigged, but did not produce any.

The IEC CEO said that although all complaints had to be received by the commission within 48 hours of the election ending at 9:00 pm (local time) on Wednesday (May 29), they had allowed an extension till 6:00 pm on Saturday (Jun 1).

With 99.87 per cent of votes counted, the IEC said that the ruling African National Congress (ANC) has garnered a little over 40 per cent support followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) with 21.80 per cent, and MK which managed to grab 14.58 per cent of the votes.

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The final results will be announced on Sunday afternoon. Partial results indicate that the ruling party, which has been in power since 1994 after the end of apartheid in South Africa, will lose its parliamentary majority for the first time in three decades.

Therefore, the ruling party is now faced a search for allies to form a new government.

The IEC is expected to announce the final results at an event where President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to participate in the ceremony.