IEC threatened with legal action over meeting with US ambassador
Civil society organisation Democracy in Action has threatened to take legal action against the Electoral Commission (IEC) if it failed to make public minutes of a meeting with US Ambassador Reuben Brigety within seven days.
US Ambassador Reuben Brigety (seated, centre) met with members of the IEC on 29 April 2024. Picture: @USAmbRSA/X
CAPE TOWN - Civil society organisation Democracy in Action has threatened to take legal action against the Electoral Commission (IEC) if it failed to make public minutes of a meeting with US Ambassador Reuben Brigety within seven days.
The electoral watchdog met with Brigety at the start of the week.
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An image of the controversial diplomat with top-ranking IEC officials sparked outrage on social media, raising questions about what was on the agenda.
Today I had the honor of meeting with @IECSouthAfrica as they prepare tirelessly to ensure free and fair 🇿🇦elections on May 29. The IEC remains a pillar of South Africa’s democracy for 30 years and counting. #SAelections24 #FreedomMonth pic.twitter.com/k7Eo5CjkbC
— Ambassador Reuben Brigety (@USAmbRSA) April 29, 2024
Democracy in Action chairperson, Thabo Mtshweni, said he was worried that the meeting may have compromised the integrity of the elections.
"There has been talks that the US is sponsoring the elections or the IECc, so we want clarity on that. How true is it that the IEC is receiving money from any organisation, especially an external organisation, to run elections?"
IEC chief electoral commissioner, Sy Mamabolo, said it was standard practice to meet with diplomats ahead of elections.
"We've met previously with the European Union grouping of ambassadors and we did the same with the Caribbean grouping of ambassadors and we did the same with the US ambassador. We will soon be meeting with the dean of the African diplomatic corps and a full diplomatic session of DIRCO to be attended by all accredited ambassadors basically to say this is where we are, this is where we are going and market South Africa's electoral democracy so that it can remain one of the prominent democracies in the world."