Elections 2024: As DA leads in WC, smaller parties cry foul over vote-capturing process
Seventeen other parties are awaiting word from the Electoral Commission after requesting more time on Friday night to file objections to the vote-capturing process.
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde at the WC results operation centre in Cape Town. Picture: EWN
CAPE TOWN - As the Democratic Alliance (DA) gears up for its next five years in office in the Western Cape, smaller parties are crying foul over the vote capture.
The vote-capturing process was 98% complete on Saturday morning.
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On Friday night, the mood turned sour among competitors as the DA celebrated breaching the one million vote mark in the province it has been in control of since 2009.
The DA is performing on par with its 2019 result, with a 55% majority. The African National Congress (ANC) trailed far behind, with not even 20% of the vote.
With 23 voting districts still to be captured in the Cape Town metro, the Economic Freedom Fighters has had to give up its third-place position to the Patriotic Alliance which is now hovering at just under eight percent of the vote.
Seventeen other parties are awaiting word from the Electoral Commission after requesting more time on Friday night to file objections to the vote-capturing process.
The parties claimed they were losing votes to incorrect figures being entered into the system, saying they had proof their votes as indicated on results slips from polling stations and what had been entered into the system did not tally.
Independent candidate Zackie Achmat is among those who requested more time from the Electoral Commission to file a proper complaint after the deadline which expired at 9 pm on Friday night.
Tensions flared at the provincial results centre last night after electoral head - Michael Hendrickse called off a scheduled press conference at the last minute.
"Obviously the briefing I have to have is based on what the response is going to be from our national office around this particular objection, where it is, and how they will be dealing with it."
In a separate complaint, Al Jama’ah said it could prove zero votes were recorded for the party at a polling station in Summer Greens where a supporter voted for Al Jama’ah on all three ballots.