Outstanding objections will not prevent final results announcement
by Karl Gernetzky and Khulekani Magubane,
2014-05-09 15:16:23.0
THE final results of South Africa’s fifth national election will be announced on Saturday evening, despite objections to the process from various political parties, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said on Friday.
Speaking before 2pm, IEC chairwoman Pansy Tlakula said 97% of the votes had been captured and audited. Voter turnout was 73.3%.
Four provinces had votes counted and audited by the time of the briefing, she said at the commission’s Pretoria-based headquarters.
Large screens erected at the centre to reflect national and provincial results continue to reflect a trickle of information. As of early afternoon on Friday, the African National Congress (ANC) majority stood at a consistent 62%, followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) at 22% and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) at 6%.
Despite continued reports of irregularities, the count had been "the quickest in the history of our organisation", IEC deputy chairman Terry Tselane said on Friday.
Ms Tlakula said 1.3% of the votes had been spoiled, which was "almost identical" to the vote spoiling that took place in 2009. Former ANC stalwart Ronnie Kasrils had called for those dissatisfied with the current state of the ANC to "vote tactically" in the elections, or spoil their ballots.
The IEC has now received four objections, one from the DA, two from the United Democratic Movement (UDM) and one from the EFF.
UDM secretary-general Bongani Msomi said the party lodged complaints over voting in the Jabulani mining hostel in Rustenburg, North West and Wadela, West Rand voting districts.
"In Rustenburg we had a situation where the presiding officer had given voters only the national ballot, although they were eligible to vote in the province as well. What was also surprising is that when we inquired, the presiding officer admitted to it, but said it was an honest mistake, yet the results can be fundamentally affected," Mr Msomi said.
Mr Msomi said a UDM supporter informed leadership that in Wadela on the West Rand ANC supporters were canvassing outside and those who entered the station to vote wearing ANC T-shirts were given more than one national and provincial ballot.
"A UDM member was given an ANC T-shirt so he decided to enter the station and pose as an ANC supporter. The ballot papers were folded very nicely and handed to him but he found that he was given two ballots nationally and two ballots provincially," Mr Msomi said.
EFF spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said the party would publicly explain the objection it lodged on Saturday.
Ms Tlakula did not give any further information on the objections but said they would be looked into.
Parties had until 9pm on Friday evening to formally lodge complaints.
Pansy Tlakula. Picture: PUXLEY MAKGATHO
THE final results of South Africa’s fifth national election will be announced on Saturday evening, despite objections to the process from various political parties, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said on Friday.
Speaking before 2pm, IEC chairwoman Pansy Tlakula said 97% of the votes had been captured and audited. Voter turnout was 73.3%.
Four provinces had votes counted and audited by the time of the briefing, she said at the commission’s Pretoria-based headquarters.
Large screens erected at the centre to reflect national and provincial results continue to reflect a trickle of information. As of early afternoon on Friday, the African National Congress (ANC) majority stood at a consistent 62%, followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) at 22% and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) at 6%.
Despite continued reports of irregularities, the count had been "the quickest in the history of our organisation", IEC deputy chairman Terry Tselane said on Friday.
Ms Tlakula said 1.3% of the votes had been spoiled, which was "almost identical" to the vote spoiling that took place in 2009. Former ANC stalwart Ronnie Kasrils had called for those dissatisfied with the current state of the ANC to "vote tactically" in the elections, or spoil their ballots.
The IEC has now received four objections, one from the DA, two from the United Democratic Movement (UDM) and one from the EFF.
UDM secretary-general Bongani Msomi said the party lodged complaints over voting in the Jabulani mining hostel in Rustenburg, North West and Wadela, West Rand voting districts.
"In Rustenburg we had a situation where the presiding officer had given voters only the national ballot, although they were eligible to vote in the province as well. What was also surprising is that when we inquired, the presiding officer admitted to it, but said it was an honest mistake, yet the results can be fundamentally affected," Mr Msomi said.
Mr Msomi said a UDM supporter informed leadership that in Wadela on the West Rand ANC supporters were canvassing outside and those who entered the station to vote wearing ANC T-shirts were given more than one national and provincial ballot.
"A UDM member was given an ANC T-shirt so he decided to enter the station and pose as an ANC supporter. The ballot papers were folded very nicely and handed to him but he found that he was given two ballots nationally and two ballots provincially," Mr Msomi said.
EFF spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said the party would publicly explain the objection it lodged on Saturday.
Ms Tlakula did not give any further information on the objections but said they would be looked into.
Parties had until 9pm on Friday evening to formally lodge complaints.
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