UDM unhappy with two-seat allocation in the National Assembly
The party has written to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to voice its unhappiness about the formula the commission uses to allocate seats after all votes have been tallied.
The results board at the IEC's national results operation centre in Midrand on 30 May 2024. Picture: Eyewitness News
CAPE TOWN - The United Democratic Movement (UDM) is not happy with its two seats allocation in the National Assembly and wants more.
The party has written to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to voice its unhappiness about the formula the commission uses to allocate seats after all votes have been tallied.
The Bantu Holomisa-led UDM garnered just over 78,000 votes nationally and managed to retain the two seats it had.
The party said these votes should afford the party at least one extra seat to bring its National Assembly caucus to three.
In a letter to the IEC, the party's secretary general Yongama Zigebe said their votes total got them two National Assembly seats and one regional seat, but they're now stuck with only two.
Zigebe further stated that Al Jamah-ah got 39,000 votes but it has also been allocated two seats.
He said it appears that each seat corresponds to 19,000 votes and wants this ratio applied to the UDM.
He's called on the IEC to explain its methodology because understanding it will maintain the integrity of the election.
While the IEC has not yet responded, independent election analyst Michael Atkins tried to explain, saying seats are worked out on the combined seats total.
He said regional seats, as in the case of the UDM - which had one, are subtracted from the total to get the national seats allocation.