Ace Magashule, the leader of the African Congress for Transformation (ACT) and former ANC Secretary General, has accused the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of rigging votes.
Ace Magashule confirmed to Eyewitness News on Friday evening that his party had lodged an official objection with the IEC, claiming that ballot boxes were tampered with.
The ACT, a newly registered political party, participated in regional and provincial ballots but failed to meet the requirements to run for the national assembly.
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Magashule arrived at the national results centre visibly dissatisfied with the numbers displayed on the IEC’s leaderboard, asserting that the party was being sabotaged. With nearly 85% of voting districts counted, the ACT currently has over 14,000 votes in the Free State.
Magashule emphasized that the current election results do not reflect the ACT’s electoral support.
He cited an instance involving his relatives: “There is one family which went to vote and that family is related to me, and the results there are zero, when eight people from one family went to vote.
These are hardcore members of ACT. They have gone to the police for an affidavit, throughout parts of Free State, that is what has happened.”
With Magashule being a former Free State Premier under the ANC, many had expected his new political party to gain significant support in the province.
Ace Magashule just arrived, bumps into IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo says the results are “completely rigged” pic.twitter.com/JwLR7WfALT
— Matshidiso Madia (@tshidi_lee) May 31, 2024
If proven true, the allegations of vote rigging could have serious implications for the credibility of the electoral process and the IEC’s integrity.
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