South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on Saturday declared the country’s 2019 national and provincial elections held on Wednesday as “free and fair.”
With all of the 22,925 voting districts counted, the IEC announced that the elections, won by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) with 57. 5 [ercent of the votes, were free and fair despite a number of disgruntled political parties calling for a rerun of the polls.
IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo said that despite the challenges, which included a widely reported issue of some people being suspected of voting twice, there was a great story to tell which, according to him, was that of millions of South Africans who braved the chilly weather and travelled distances to go to their respective voting stations to cast their votes.
“There is another story, a lesser told story of 18 million voters who were assisted to vote honestly, quickly, and easily.
“A story of voters who climbed mountains and crossed rivers to cast their ballots in pursuit of an ideal to participate in the process of determining the political will of the people.
“A story of a democratic nation continuing to move forward in defining course.
“This is a story borne out by observer missions from South Africa and around the world which unanimously endorsed the elections as free and fair,” Mamabolo said.
He added: “Tonight we can proclaim as a nation that our democracy has once again withstood this examination and continues to endure with strength and fortitude.”
NM/as/APA