Political parties in WC demands recount of votes

Several political parties in the Western Cape are upset over the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa's (IEC) handling of votes.

PHOTO: Veerle Kroon

Journalists awaited the appearance of Michael Hendrickse, IEC Western Cape head, on Friday evening, but was met with a WhatsApp message stating the media briefing was postponed.

The National Coloured Congress (NCC) said the postponement was needed, crying foul, and accused the commission of rigging the elections.

‘’Majority of the parties excluding the DA, have been complaining that votes have been rigged. You go into a stronghold of Aljama-ah, how is possible that the DA can beat them there. We literally saw how the presiding officer how 120 votes for the DA, and if we didn’t fight we wouldn’t have gotten the votes back. How many people were turned around? How many glitches did the IEC had (sic)? This elections is rigged,’’ said Duwayne Jacobs

Freedom Front Plus MPL Peter Marais told journalists:

‘’In a democracy, the one thing that make it work is complete honesty, fairness, and each vote must be of equal value. The IEC has apologised on live TV that so many glitches happen is that the staff is not properly trained.

"I want to know what they did with the millions from national government to ensure that staff are efficiently trained. We cannot go the route of the rest of Africa, where every election result in a revolution, where parties are dissatisfied and they overthrow government. If this is the way they are going to run elections, we are not far from our own Arab Spring, where the youth will rise later and say ‘if we can’t overthrow you at the polls, we will throw you in other means. That will be a shoddy day for south Africa. I think the last time we saw democracy was when the old guard of the ANC – Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, etc. - was still in charge,’’ added Marais.

Joseph Jacobs from the NCC shared Marais sentiments.

‘’As young people, this time around, our voices will be heard. There’s thousands of young people that took this opportunity to fight for change. Many of the young people lost hope and this one time where we advocated that 2024 will be our 1994, we questioned the integrity. Even in our stronghold like Mitchell’s Plain, we have been destroyed by what they put in place. We want fairness and equality.’’

On Friday evening, parties lodged an urgent objection with the IEC for the objection period, which closed at 21:00, to be extended. Sixteen parties signed a letter to the province's IEC, citing several voting discrepancies in some voting districts. The parties said they raised concerns during a meeting with representatives, which they claim had not been responded to.

LETTER OF CONDONATION

The EFF’s Unathi Ntame said the political parties raised concerns about the handling of votes with the IEC and said that staff were not equipped to handle the number of voters. 

"We have raised issues with facts. Remember, during the day, the EFF, they stole one hundred votes. We showed them and say they will rectify it. Where the EFF got votes, then votes are given to other parties. The votes are given to the DA. We have the right to see the scanned results slip. We are asking that they postpone the 9p.m deadline, so we can crosscheck and verify. All parties are crying with one voice, there is lots of corruption. Only one political party that benefitted from it. The elections was not fair. It has been rigged.’

UNATHI NTAME the provincial chair of the eff in the Western Cape is complaining about fraudulent results submission from kosie de wet primary school.

@UnathiNtame @EFFSouthAfrica @EFFWesternCape_ @Bushradionews @Bushradio @IECSouthAfrica #ElectionResults #2024elections pic.twitter.com/ptCtW7XzTr

— Lydia_Marwanqana (@LydiaMarwanqana) May 31, 2024

Al-Jamah's National Spokesperson Shameemah Salie said:

‘’With the influx of complaints I think it’s unjust and unfair to have an expiation by 9p.m to note all concerns that we are experiencing to have a free and fair election. This is unacceptable

"The IEC says they cannot give us many answers. We are asking a condonation for at least 48 hours, so we can lodge all complaints. It is very concerning.’’

Ntame said: ‘’If the IEC do not listen to us, we will make them listen to us. We know how to mobilise people of Cape Town. All we are requesting is the postponement of objections.’’

Reacting to this, and DA Western Cape leader, Tertius Simmers, says: ‘’All parties have access to a central data base of the IEC, which means if there are complaints then they can raise it. Noting the little side show that happened here, with allegations made against the DA – there are a PLC platform, there is an online platform, the IEC probes, if you are not happy with that, there is an electoral court. If anyone alleges anything, there is a due process, and we will respond in accordance with the rule of law, which is why all parties signed electoral conduct.’’

‘’A lot of these parties promised their electorate the moon, sun and stars, all but the kitchen sink. We are nearing one million votes, and some of these parties do not even have 5 000 votes and it is sad when reality kicks in, and you were on the high of dethrone the DA, and be part of a coalition hat pushes us below 50% and when reality kicks in,it kicks in. My advice to those parties, wake up, smell the coffee, accept the reality. We respect the rule of law, we do not have side shows and accuse parties of anything. We get things done, and abide by the rule of law,'' added Simmers.

IEC Western Cape head, Michael Hendrickse, says he explained to the various parties on what steps to take, if they had any issues or objections.

‘’We have our regular meetings with the Party Liaison Committee where they shared their dismay and frustrations, and which they entitled to. I, in turn, explained the legal route to raise objections with the results.

‘’Whether there's merit in their allegations, that's something to be determined. They will be investigated by the commission. At this stage, these particular objections will be directed to the IEC. One thing to make claims and show there is merit. We take it serious and it will be investigated.

He added that the IEC in the province could not advise on what time there would be a media briefing on Saturday.

 

Done By: Mitchum George