Former ANC president and now leader of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party, Jacob Zuma, at the national Results Operation Centre (ROC) at Gallagher Estate in Midrand on 1 June 2024. (Sharon Seretlo/Gallo Images)
- Former president Jacob Zuma has joined those calling for a delay in the announcement of the election results.
- Zuma told journalists at a press conference on Saturday night that making the announcement on Sunday would amount to “provocation”.
- Several other political parties have lodged objections with the IEC.
Former president Jacob Zuma has insisted that the official results of the 2024 general elections should not be declared on Sunday.
Zuma said any declaration of the election outcome by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) would be tantamount to “provoking” his new uMkontho weSizwe Party.
He was speaking during a late-night media briefing at the national Results Operation Centre (ROC) in Gallagher Estate, Midrand.
The MK Party and at least 20 other parties have lodged objections with the IEC over what they claim are vote rigging. The IEC is reviewing the objections.
Zuma’s arrival on Sunday night brought the IEC’s results nerve centre to a standstill.
READ | Several parties call for vote recount, claiming not all their votes were captured
The MK Party has called for a recount and a commission of inquiry into the elections. The party has also threatened to take legal action against the IEC.
Zuma said the complaints that had been brought to the IEC were “very, very serious”.
“There is a tendency in this country to ignore serious matters. There are people who get arrested, even if they’ve done nothing, but there are people who commit serious crimes. Nothing happened to them,” he added.
He said these problems need to be addressed and that the results announcement should not be “rushed”.
We have a bigger right than anybody else to demand that, it is us who are citizens. Institutions can’t then say, ‘we can’t listen to you and let us rush rush’, because that is provoking people, in reality. What do you think if the institution that was supposed to deal with everything deprives you of that possibility? When people stand up and do something, somebody is going to say these people are wild; they must be shot and arrested.
“I fully agree with my colleagues who say nobody must force us to say these are the results, when the results are incorrect. If they say so, I think the institution must satisfy us that they did look into the issues,” Zuma said.
“We are going to need the time. Nobody must declare tomorrow. If that happens, people will be provoked, we know what we are talking about. I am hoping whoever is responsible is hearing us. Don’t start trouble when there is no trouble.”
PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA TO PARTICIPATE IN OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULT ANNOUNCEMENT CEREMONYPresident @CyrilRamaphosa will participate in the Independent Electoral Commission’s Final Results Announcement Ceremony of the 2024 National and Provincial Elections.Proceedings will begin…
— The Presidency ???? (@PresidencyZA) June 1, 2024
The IEC is due to declare the election results at an event on Sunday, and President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to participate in the ceremony.
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