IEC notes EFF concerns over alleged irregularities in Mpumalanga

Mpumalanga Electoral Officer Gugu Langa says the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has noted the concerns that have been raised by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Mpumalanga regarding alleged irregularities in Mbombela and Thaba Chweu.

The EFF is alleging that the ANC got 483 votes captured on a result slip at a station in Ward 9 in Mgcobaneni in the City of Mbombela Municipality, whilst the IEC is said to have captured 648 votes on their system.

The party is also concerned about the alleged rejection of 65 spoilt ballots in Ward 4 in Thaba Chweu.

Langa says the matter will be investigated.

“In relation to Ward 4 in Thaba Chweu, yes, I can confirm they’ve sent that objection to the relevant e-mail address, which will reach the national office, and they’ve also copied me. Then the next issue that they are raising, there’s no section 65 objection lodged as yet.”

“It’s just a matter that they are indicating they are going to lodge this objection in terms of inflated results, because one party got less, but in the results slip they got more. So, we’re investigating that matter because it has been brought to our attention just now. We’re just going to pull the original results slip that is uploaded in our system, and we’ll compare it with the one that they gave us.”

-Report by Michael Mdluli