35 parties reject South African election results

PRETORIA, South Africa

Thirty five political parties out of 48 that ran in South Africa’s elections rejected the legitimacy of early results Friday, with claims the polls were not free and fair.

“We are demanding the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to bring us an independent auditor to audit the election results because we don’t agree with these results,’’ Romeo Ramuada spokesman for the disgruntled political parties told reporters in the capital.

He threatened that if the IEC does not take their demands seriously, supporters would begin protesting outside electoral houses.

Opposition political parties started raising complaints with the IEC late Wednesday with claims that some voters cast multiple ballots.

They also alleged that identity card scanners were not working at some stations while some ran out of voting materials or polling stations opened late.

“Some political parties here whose members voted at some polling stations on Wednesday were told that they had obtained zero votes yet they voted for themselves at the stations,” Ramuada alleged.

“We are going to call upon the international community to intervene,” spokesman of the Congress of the People (COPE) party Dennis Bloem said at a briefing held at a tally center.

“If the IEC is fair then these elections must be re-run,” African Content Movement (ACM) party leader Hlaudi Motsoeneng said.

Former Nigerian President Good Luck Jonathan, who is leading an election observer mission in South Africa, said the election process was credible.

Official results which were expected to be released by Saturday have now be delayed by a day or two as the results are being audited to ensure the process is credible.

At least 90% of votes have so far been counted with the ruling African National Congress (ANC) leading with 57.41%, followed by the Democratic Alliance at 20.95% and the Economic Freedom Fighters with 10.38%.