By Phuti Mosomane
The Electoral Commission has rejected claims contained in a video circulating on social media by supporters of the MK Party alleging “vote rigging” in progress. The videos relate to activities at the Commission’s storage sites in Chesterville and Hammersdale.
Spokesperson Kate Bapela said in a statement on Sunday that the Commission noted with great concern incidents that occurred at the eThekwini municipality in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday.
“We wish to clarify that the videos depict our planned logistical arrangements and storage of election materials as we prepare for the first day of special voting on 27 May 2024. These are legitimate and authorised arrangements for the distribution of ballot papers and other bulk material,” she said, adding that the planned security measures were that the trucks distributing ballot papers are escorted by SAPS to the local storage site.
She said storage sites will then be guarded on a 24-hours basis to ensure that these places are protected against unauthorised entry, burglary, and tampering with election materials and to ensure detailed control and recording of all items in storage.
The Commission said the individuals seen in the video entered the warehouse without authorisation and filmed their unauthorised activities.
In a strongly worded statement, the Commission said it noted that members of MK Party were at the provincial warehouse of the Commission where the ballots were returned.
“No party will be allowed to gain entry into the warehouse premises of the Commission. We instruct the leadership of the MK party to immediately leave the warehouse as the Commission urgently needs to finalise the distribution of election material,” she said.
On Sunday, the MK Party called on the IEC to answer its allegations of “a no-care attitude about serious allegations of Election Fraud in favour of Ramaphosa-ANC”.
MK Party Spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndlela said the party has observed with grave concern a series of incidents that significantly underminded the integrity of the electoral process in South Africa.
“Notably, members of the MK Party stationed in Mpumalanga Township, Hammarsdale, reported a suspicious truck entering the area on 25 May 2024. This vehicle was loaded with critical voting materials, including approximately 400 ballot boxes and scanners, which are alleged to be intended for ANC members in the area.”
“This situation escalated as our vigilant members demanded accountability, leading to the involvement of senior SAPS officials and the subsequent seizure of the alleged stolen ballot papers, which were later secured under SAPS custody. Despite the volatile atmosphere, no arrests were made, although the materials were relocated to an IEC warehouse for safekeeping due to inadequate local storage facilities,” said Ndlela.
He said further reports emerged on Sunday from a funeral parlour in Chesterville, where sealed boxes of voting materials were found and seized by the police, which were allegedly also intended for ANC members.
“This series of events points to a systemic problem that not only threatens the democratic fabric of our nation but affirms the MK Party’s long-held view that the IEC is partisan towards Cyril Ramaphosa’s ANC by allowing the rigging of elections, including in the 2019 elections when Ramaphosa was controversially elected as SA President. These incidents, which our members informed us, which are occurring in other provinces such as Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, and North-West, are particularly alarming as they compound the growing distrust amongst a majority of South Africans towards the IEC—a view which the MK Party has repeatedly raised,” he said.
The party called upon the IEC to convene an urgent press conference to address these allegations to all South Africans and clarify the security measures in place for electoral materials. Most importantly, to reassure all South Africans that the upcoming elections will be conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner.
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