The Inkatha Freedom Party has withdrawn its legal challenge to contest the declaration of the April 14 election as free and fair.
IFP president Mangosuthu Buthelezi said on Monday night although widespread irregularities occurred in South Africa and particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, the party has taken the decision not to proceed with the challenge in the interest of national unity.
”It was never our intention to spoil the celebrations of our first decade of democracy. It is my earnest hope that our announcement will have the positive effect of ensuring that future elections will proceed without similar problems and acts of intimidation,” Buthelezi said in a statement.
”We hope our actions have served to defend the rule of law and the majesty of democracy. We have made our case. Let us tomorrow celebrate our first decade of democracy and look forward with hope in our hearts and courage to the next chapter of our country’s history.”
The IFP was to have challenged the Independent Electoral Commission’s decision to announce the results of the national and provincial elections and declare the poll free and fair, allegedly without investigating 42 complaints of violence and intimidation registered by the party.
The party believed such irregularities may have cost it its traditional power base of KwaZulu-Natal, where it trails the African National Congress with 30 provincial legislature seats to 38. The IFP’s alliance partner, the Democratic Alliance, has seven seats.
The complaints related to alleged irregularities such as people being allowed to vote more than once and eligible voters being turned away from polling stations.
The IFP was also concerned about an apparently large group of people in KwaZulu-Natal having been allowed to vote outside of their registered districts — about 367 000.
The hearing had been scheduled to be heard before the Electoral Court in Durban on Wednesday. — Sapa