21.2 C
Johannesburg
- Advertisement -

Ramaphosa congratulates Zim for ‘harmonised elections’

Must read

Phuti Mosomane

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday congratulated Zimbabwe for holding elections last week which confirmed the re-election of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and made this 43-years of ZANU-PF rule since the country’s independence. 

“The Republic of South Africa congratulates the government and the people of The Republic of Zimbabwe for organising and holding the harmonised elections to elect the President, National Assembly and Local government representatives, which took place on 23 and 24 August 2023,” Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said in a statement.

Mnangagwa secured 52.6% of the vote, the Zimbabwe Election Commission said and the main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa won 44% of the vote.

However, election observers raised questions over the election environment in the buildup to the voting and pointed to an atmosphere of intimidation against Chamisa’s supporters.

Ramaphosa said he “is conscious that these elections took place under a difficult economic environment due to the burdening sanctions which the people of Zimbabwe continue to unjustly endure.”

South Africa has taken note of the preliminary pronouncements by the invited International Observers Missions including the African Union (AU) and the South African Development Community (SEOM) Observer Missions, said Ramaphosa.

“South Africa calls on all the parties in Zimbabwe to work in unison in sustaining peace and work towards development and shared prosperity in the country”.

EFF leader Julius Malema said although his party wanted sanctions lifted against Zimbabwe, last week’s elections were not free. 

“The EFF is of the firm belief that the elections (in Zimbabwe) were not free and fair,” Malema said while addressing the EFF Presser on the outcomes of the Central Command Team Meeting at Premier Hotel, O.R Tambo, Kempton Park. 

INSIDE POLITICS 

More articles

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Oxford University Press

Latest article