Day: June 2, 2024

All eyes are on the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) as South Africans eagerly await the outcome of the 2024 National and Provincial Elections.

The official results are expected to be announced at the commission’s Results Operations Centre in Midrand on Sunday evening.

Millions of eligible voters across the country made their mark at more than 23 000 polling stations in South Africa’s seventh democratic elections on Wednesday.

This followed two successful days of special votes, which saw South Africans who had registered for a special vote making their mark at 22 626 voting stations and during home visits across the country.

Voting abroad took place between 17 and 18 May 2024 in 111 South African missions across the world.

Observers, from both South Africa and other countries, have closely monitored the electoral process.

At a media briefing, the commission said the release of the official results on the fourth day after Election Day was to factor in the third ballot and to deal with the 50% a
dditional work imposed by the third ballot.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The 2024 Elections have tested the strength of the country’s institutions, the integrity of systems and the resolve of citizens, says Electoral Commission of South Africa Chairperson Mosotho Moepya.

‘These elections were undoubtedly the most highly contested,’ Moepya said, speaking at the announcement of the results of the National and Provincial Elections at the national Results Operations Centre (ROC) in Midrand this evening.

Moepya, who declared the elections free and fair, said there were many challenges the commission had to overcome during the voting process.

‘As a nation, we have emerged triumphant, having conducted these elections with the utmost transparency, fairness and adherence to the highest standards of democratic practice,’ Moepya said.

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The path to this moment, he said, has been paved by the sacrifices of those who came before and the unwavering belief in the power of the people’s will.

‘Just as the watershed elections of 1994 laid the foundation for our democratic order, the 202
4 elections mark a milestone in the continued growth and maturation of our nation’s electoral process.

‘Throughout this endeavour, the Electoral Commission of South Africa has never sought to waver from its commitment to deliver elections compliant with South Africa’s constitutional order. To do this, the Electoral Commission put significant measures in place to safeguard these elections.’

Moepya said journey to this point was not without its challenges.

‘It sometimes entailed concerted [and] significant attacks on members and key staff of the commission, attempts to undermine the credibility of this institution, relentless and targeted social media attacks, disinformation campaigns, unwarranted allegations and sometimes what appeared to be acts of intimidation.

‘As an institution with an enormous amount of responsibility to the nation we all love and proudly call home, we persevered and remained focused on the challenges before us.

‘We remain grateful to all of you, for your kind thoughts, encouragement
, correction and prayers throughout this journey.’

He said the commission remained steadfast in the country’s Constitutional mandate, rising above the distractions, to ensure that the will of the people was accurately reflected in the results of these elections.

‘In any election, the most anxious moments come with the declaration of the election results. South Africa’s nascent democracy has experienced one of the most peaceful electoral periods in recent times.

‘For this, we thank all her people. You have enabled us to truly capture a climate in which elections could be held,’ he said.

Held on Wednesday, 29 May 2024, the elections saw millions of eligible voters across the country making their way to more than 23 000 polling stations to cast their votes in the much-contested seventh democratic elections. Citizens living abroad and those requiring special votes cast their votes ahead of the main Voting Day, ensuring that all eligible voters have a chance to make their voices heard and play a part in streng
thening democracy.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has endorsed the 2024 National and Provincial Elections as having been free and fair.

‘The South African Human Rights Commission endorses the 2024 National General Elections as free and fair,’ the commission said on Sunday.

The commission’s comments come as the Electoral Commission (IEC) is set to announce the results of the elections this evening at 6pm. South Africans went to the polls in the seventh national elections on Wednesday, 29 May.

The SAHRC observed the elections from 27- 29 May 2024.

During this period, the commission observed 161 voting stations and gathered 98 reflections from human rights officials and champions, resulting in a significant national footprint across 259 voting stations.

Reflections

‘Our preliminary observations revealed that operationally, 83% of voting stations observed opened on time, and 98% of ballot boxes were assembled in the presence of party agents and observers, although some party agents arrived late.’

In its pr
eliminary reflections, the commission said that 95% of stations had all essential materials, including ballot papers and pens.

It said that most voters took more than 30 minutes to complete their voting process; 16% took two hours or longer, 46% took 30-90 minutes, and 38% took less than 10 minutes.

‘We observed that 70% of voting stations experienced connectivity issues. In terms of accessibility, 83% of people with disabilities were able to vote independently, though only 40 stations scored a 10/10 for accessibility.

‘Furthermore, 87% of polling stations had measures in place for the elderly, pregnant persons, and other special categories. Security incidents were minimal; no significant issues were observed and minor issues such as inebriated voters, raised tempers, or party agent interference were promptly addressed by SAPS [South African Police Service].’

The SAHRC added that it was aware that the elections ‘do not occur without minor glitches’.

‘Some voting centres experienced slow-moving queues ext
ending into the early hours of the following day, and some voters were turned away, unable to exercise their democratic right due to administrative challenges of registration.

‘In some areas voters could not cast their vote due to strike. The Electoral Commission also reported a missing ballot box in Umhlathuze Ward 14, KwaZulu-Natal, which fortunately had already been counted.’

‘Our preliminary concerns include the adverse impact of the three-ballot process on turnaround time, the lack of understanding and proper implementation of the Section 24A process, and the lack of uniformity in certain processes, with some stations using one ballot box for mixed votes and others using three separate boxes.’

It further added that accessibility for people with disabilities remains a challenge, privacy in voting booths was a concern, and connectivity issues required officials to alternate between online and manual systems.

‘Overall, the Commission observed that the elections proceeded smoothly, without major concerns
. The minor challenges monitored do not impact the overall declaration of the elections as free and fair. The SAHRC is further committed to producing a comprehensive final report that reflects the full extent of its observations during the 2024 general elections.’

READ | SA elections were held under ‘peaceful’ conditions – African Union Mission

READ | SADC electoral mission gives Elections 2024 seal of approval

The commission expressed gratitude to South Africans who participated in large numbers to exercise their democratic right to vote.

‘We remain committed to ensuring that the civil and political rights of all participants are upheld throughout the electoral process,’ it said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster says it stands ready to deal with any threats of instability ahead of the declaration of the election results in Midrand this evening.

‘As the Security Cluster, we assure South Africans that law enforcement agencies stand ready to maintain peace and stability, as they have done throughout the election period.

‘Any attempt to undermine the authority of the State and South Africa’s constitutional order will not be tolerated and will be dealt with accordingly,’ Cele assured citizens on Sunday.

The Minister outlined measures taken by law enforcement agencies to maintain peace and stability during the election process.

As the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) prepares to announce the election results, Cele stated that the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) has confirmed its readiness to ensure a peaceful environment following the election results declaration.

‘We would like to assure the country that the Constitu
tion provides the mandate to manage the elections to the IEC. Therefore, the decision to declare the results rests solely with the IEC, in accordance with the law.’

In addition, the Minister said the law provides mechanisms to raise disputes with the electoral processes and only those prescribed processes must be followed.

‘As such, there cannot be any room for threats of instability to register objections or concerns about the electoral process.’

READ | IEC receives 579 objections

Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise emphasised respect for the Constitution and each other’s rights.

She told journalists that while they have not singled out any party for engagement ahead of the release of the results, they have reiterated their calls for the respect for the rule of law.

‘We have, before the elections, called for calm. We have also asked people not to do that which is not legal in this country. We had also indicated that we would not tolerate anybody breaching or tarnishing the name of Sout
h Africa thus far because we have always behaved according to our Constitution in the past elections.’

Modise appealed to all parties and citizens to respect the rights of others.

‘We are hoping that our plea to all parties involved will be heard by everybody involved… We do not think that we want to have a conversation across or with one individual party. We are appealing to South Africans to respect the laws of South Africa,’ the Defence Minister pleaded.

Modise said her department had learnt lessons from the unrest in July 2021.

‘There were some issues [during the July 2021 unrest]. We arrived a little bit late as the Defence Department. I can assure you that that was a good lesson. We are not late these days. We get there on time, when needed. We are prepared. We don’t have to have help from somewhere else to get to where we are going. We have said that we will not tolerate anybody interfering with the rights of the rest of the citizens,’ Modise said.

Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni,
emphasised that nobody was exempt from the law.

‘… Anybody who threatens the security or the stability of the country, anybody who wants to undermine the constitutional order of the country, irrespective of who they are… the law enforcement will have to deal with them.’

According to Ntshavheni, all political parties signed a code of conduct that prescribes how they must conduct themselves.

‘… The violation of the code of conduct will then be enforced because that’s what all political parties agreed to before we entered this phase of the elections.’

Source: South African Government News Agency

Ninety people were arrested over the three days of elections earlier this week, National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola said on Sunday.

On the first day of special votes on Monday, police registered 26 cases and arrested 24 people.

On the second day of special votes on Tuesday, police logged 32 cases, and nine people were detained.

On Election Day on Wednesday, 29 May, 37 cases were registered, leading to the arrest of 57 individuals.

In total, police arrested 90 people of which the majority have since been released on bail.

‘Twenty-two are still inside as we speak and that is all about the matters of cases during the three days of the election,’ explained Masemola.

The Commissioner was speaking at the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) media briefing on the third phase of its 2024 National and Provincial Elections operational activities.

The briefing came hours before Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) was set to release the results of the hotly contested el
ections.

READ | SA awaits election results

The Ministers of the Justice Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster said they had received an evaluation from the NATJOINTS regarding the security situation in the country since the elections.

‘We are satisfied with how law enforcement agencies prevented and responded to incidents that would have otherwise tarnished the seventh General Elections in the country,’ Police Minister Bheki Cele said at the briefing held in Pretoria.

He said the NATJOINTS also briefed the Ministers of the Security Cluster on their preparedness to assure the safety and security of the country in the post-election phase.

The security cluster stands ready to deal with any instability ahead of the declaration of the election results in Midrand this evening.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The sun has set on the most arguably contested election in the history of South Africa, with voting, vote counting and the capturing of results completed.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) declared the official results during a ceremony at the national Results Operations Centre on Sunday, attended by, among others, President Cyril Ramaphosa.

This paves the way for the seventh administration, which will lead South Africa for the next five years.

South Africans on 29 May voted using three ballots for the first time because of the inclusion of independent candidates on the ballot. These were the National Ballot, National Regional Ballot and the Provincial Legislature Ballot.

No less than 16 million South Africans made their mark, translating into a voter turnout of 58.61%.

The parties which received the most votes and thus garnered seats in the 400-member National Assembly are as follows:

African National Congress (ANC) – 159 seats.

Democratic Alliance (DA) – 87 seats.

uMkhonto weSizwe party
(MK party) – 58 seats.

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) – 39 seats.

Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) – 17 seats.

Patriotic Alliance (PA) – 9 seats.

Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) – 6 seats.

ActionSA – 6 seats.

African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) – 3 seats.

United Democratic Movement (UDM) – 3 seats.

African Transformation Movement (ATM) – 2 seats.

Al Jama-ah – 2 seats.

Build One South Africa (BOSA) – 2 seats.

National Coloured Congress (NCC) – 2 seats.

Rise Mzansi – 2 seats

GOOD Party – 1 seat

Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) – 1 seat

United Africans Transformation (UTM) – 1 seat

Winners of the National Assembly votes by each region are as follows (percentages as at 7pm on Sunday):

Eastern Cape – ANC with 62.42% of the vote, 16 seats.

Free State – ANC with 52.56% of the vote, 6 seats.

Gauteng – ANC with 34.62% of the vote, 17 seats.

KwaZulu-Natal – MK Party with 44.91% of the vote, 19 seats

Mpumalanga – ANC with 51.31% of the vote, 8 seats.

Northern Cape – ANC with 49.47% of the vot
e, 3 seats.

Limpopo – ANC with 73.38% of the vote, 16 seats.

North West – ANC 58.29% of the vote, 8 seats.

Western Cape – DA with 53.37% of the vote, 14 seats

The winners of the provincial legislatures are as follows:

Eastern Cape – ANC to lead the legislature with 45 seats won.

Free State – ANC to lead the legislature with 16 seats won.

Gauteng – ANC to lead the legislature with 28 seats won.

KwaZulu-Natal – MK Party to lead the legislature with 37 seats won.

Mpumalanga – ANC to lead the legislature with 27 won.

Northern Cape – ANC to lead the legislature with 15 seats won

Limpopo – ANC to lead the legislature with 48 seats won.

North West – ANC to lead the legislature with 23 seats won.

Western Cape – DA to lead the legislature with 24 seats won.

‘After carefully considering the extensive measures put in place and acknowledging the provisions of section 57(3) of the Electoral Act 1998, the commission declares the results of the 2024 National and Provincial Elections, free and fair,’ IEC Chairp
erson Mosotho Moepya said during the results announcement programme.

The list of elected public representatives was handed over to President Cyril Ramaphosa at the ceremony.

On Thursday, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo is expected to officially receive the lists of designated Members of Parliament from the IEC in preparation for the first sitting of the National Assembly, which he will preside over.

Source: South African Government News Agency