Newsletter| Voices| Given the tightness of this election race, there will certainly be complaints. Let’s hope whoever is responsible for handling complaints will be truly independent, writes Mcebisi Ndletyana
While the Siyanqoba rally is the usual assembly of the faithful, there’s nothing familiar about present times. Electoral support for the ANC is currently mid 50%, a far cry from almost 70% in the 2004 election. The picture is not rosy. Polls give varying predictions. Some forecast a victory in upper 50%, while others say the party might drop below 50%. This presents a real possibility that the ANC could lose its grip not only over national government, but also at provincial levels.
Possible loss of livelihood leads to desperation, making people prone to do anything. That’s why it is often said that democracies are most tested when the incumbent faces the possibility of losing power. Their desperation to remain in office leads them to employ all manner of shenanigans to manipulate the electoral outcome.
Prospects of that confusion happening this time have been minimised through a transparent and jointly agreed procedure. Together with another party of a similar name, the African People’s Congress , they were put into a draw. The name of the AIC was drawn first, placing it higher up on the ballot paper; the ANC was second, which qualified it for a spot in the middle; and the APC was placed lower down.
That said, the commission has not operated entirely without pressure from the ANC. This was especially so in the 2016 local election when it became clear that it would lose some metros. Their local leaders in NMB, for instance, laid a charge of fraud at a police station and an official complaint with the IEC. The announcement of results in the metro had to be delayed as the IEC was called on to consider whether to annul the elections at NMB. It turned out the complaints were spurious.
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