Pretoria – The political storm surrounding the May 29 elections continues to rage, with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) taking a firm stance against the Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) and their attempt to withdraw their court case challenging the election results. This dramatic turn of events comes after the MKP made "serious allegations" about the credibility of the elections, claiming a staggering 9.3 million votes were missing.
The IEC, however, is having none of it. They've requested the Electoral Court to reject the MKP's withdrawal request, arguing that the party's allegations of "deliberate vote-rigging" must be publicly addressed and tested. The IEC's Chief Electoral Officer, Sy Mamabolo, has labelled the MKP's claim of missing votes as "patently false."
The MKP's attempt to withdraw their case came after they initially accused the IEC of manipulating the election results. On Wednesday, they served notice to the court that they were withdrawing their case and would no longer challenge the results.
However, the IEC, clearly not willing to let the matter rest, responded by filing a letter to the court on Friday, stating that the MKP's withdrawal notice was irregular and demanding a hearing to publicly ventilate and scrutinise the MKP's allegations.
"It is an absolute imperative that the matter is ventilated publicly and a final decision be made by the Electoral Court, at the very least to confirm whether the allegations against the electoral commission were made vexatiously and without just cause," said Moeti Kanyane, the IEC's attorney.
The IEC has also pointed out that the MKP's withdrawal notice lacked a bid for fees, a requirement stipulated by Rule 41. They argue that punitive costs are necessary to prevent the MKP from abusing the legal system.
"The withdrawal is no indication that we do not have a compelling case for the orders we seek," said Barnabas Xulu, the MKP's attorney, in a letter to the court.
In a statement released to the media, the MKP maintained their stance, stating they would be filing papers as per the answering affidavit, which they claim contains further evidence strengthening their case against the IEC.
This latest development adds another layer of complexity to the already contentious election aftermath. The IEC's decision to challenge the MKP's withdrawal is a clear indication that they are determined to defend their integrity and address the allegations head-on.
The IEC's move is likely to be seen as a strong message to any party considering making unsubstantiated claims about election irregularities in the future. It sends a clear signal that the IEC will not tolerate frivolous accusations and will take decisive action to ensure transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
