As ANC celebrates in Eastern Cape, DA lodges objection in Nelson Mandela Bay
The ANC managed to secure 64% of the vote, followed by the DA with 12% and the EFF just under 10%.
The ANC has won an outright majority in the Eastern Cape. Picture: IEC
EAST LONDON - Celebrations have started in the Eastern Cape after the African National Congress (ANC) secured another resounding victory.
The ANC managed to secure 64% of the vote, followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) with 12% and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) just under 10%.
But the results have not come without any objections from parties in places like the Nelson Mandela Bay metro.
The DA is objecting to some votes in the metro.
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Provincial electoral officer Kayakazi Magudumana explained the nature of the objection.
"The allegations are that there are a lot of discrepancies. As a result, they would like that there is an investigation that is undertaken so that they can be happy that indeed what is reflected on the result slip is what is on the ballot box and what actually happened in the stations."
Magudumana said the province is not empowered to process complaints and objections and the matter will be referred to the national office for a decision on whether to investigate.
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With the vote count all but completed, the DA and the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party want their objections investigated before any final results announcement.
The MK is accusing the IEC of irregularities like counting votes outside of voting districts instead of inside in full view of all parties.
Mk provincial coordinator Mawande Ndakisa said the incidents don’t seem isolated and can be found in metros and rural voting districts.
“We thought this was an isolated incident and when you’ve got a litany of all of these it then tells you that there is a national coordinating centre of these so-called irregularities.”
Ndakisa said a recount of the votes should not be ruled out saying the provincial IEC should take their objections seriously.