The Democratic Alliance on Saturday said it would challenge some of the ward election results in the Tshwane Metropole, citing alleged irregularities, a party statement said.
The DA said the complaints concerned two wards where it was alleged that some voters had not been on the voters’ roll and that some voters were not allowed to vote at those stations.
”The DA was alerted to this alleged discrepancy by the fact that 863 voters cast ballots at the one station on a roll of a total of 994 voters. [The turnout was] 87%, when the two adjacent voting stations turnout was 27% and 29%.
”The voting percentages in nearby wards in Mamelodi were similarly low,” Pretoria party leader Gert Pretorius said.
Pretorius said three ballots that were not entitled to have been cast at the polling station, were cast there.
”One of the ANC candidates made use of motor vehicles to broadcast voter support for the ANC that was audible within the school. The candidate did not leave the area after voting,” Pretorius said.
He said another polling station at Dunusa sports ground recorded a relatively large voter turnout without there being any evidence of such levels of voter attendance throughout the day.
The IEC also allowed ‘intoxicated’ voters into the Lesedi voting station, he said.
”The DA asserts a free and fair election cannot be certified in these two wards. We ask that diplomatic embassies and legations take cognisance and that the IEC reverse the results of the two wards.
Meanwhile, the African National Congress said it was grateful and humbled by the confidence the people of South Africa have shown in it.
”The ANC will do everything possible to ensure that the confidence of the people translates into a meaningful and lasting improvement in the living conditions of all, especially the poor,” the party said in a statement on Saturday.
The ANC said it will continue to work with the people to make local government a powerful instrument of progressive change, which remained accountable and accessible to local communities.
”The ANC also applauds the many people and institutions who contributed to the success of these elections. In particular, we extend a word of congratulation to the Independent Electoral Commission, the security services, all political parties and candidates, organs of civil society, and the media for contributing to an electoral process that was vibrant, democratic, free and fair.
”The ANC extends best wishes to all the candidates who will soon be taking up their seats in councils across the country. They bear an important responsibility to act as true servants of the people. As the ANC, we will work to ensure that our councillors act with honesty and integrity, and place their energies and skills at the disposal of the community.”
The ANC said South Africans have voted for local government that works better for all.
”Having received this decisive and unequivocal mandate, the ANC pledges itself to work with all South Africans, side by side, to realise these objectives.”
Mbeki salutes South Africans
Although South Africa may not win an Oscar for the film Tsotsi, it deserved one for the municipal elections, President Thabo Mbeki said in Pretoria on Saturday.
”We will indeed get an Oscar tomorrow, maybe not for Tsotsi but for good local government elections,” Mbeki said to cheers and applause at the closing ceremony of the municipal elections.
Mbeki had earlier in his speech predicted that South Africa would win the golden statuette for best foreign film for Tsotsi and that South African-born actress Charlize Theron would win her second Oscar for her lead role in the film North Country.
The president also predicted award-winning performances from South Africa’s team at the upcoming Commonwealth games in Melbourne, Australia.
He congratulated the IEC for overseeing the elections as well as political parties who had accepted defeated without contesting the results in court.
He contrasted this behaviour with businesses that habitually went to court to contest tender award procedures not in their favour.
Mbeki urged political leaders to co-operate in areas where there was no political majority.
These included the Cape Metro and 30 local municipalities.
”In areas where there is no clear winner, the political parties who used rough language to each other during their campaign, must find ways to work together to change peoples lives for the better.”
The incidents of violence in some areas during the election had to be acknowledged, Mbeki said.
It had to be an important part of political education in South Africa that no-one could be elected into a position or denied a position because of acts of violence against them or on their behalf, he said. – Sapa