Political activist and independent candidate in the recent general elections, Anele Mda, has come out in support for an election re-run.
Mda who contested in Gauteng and nationally, received 3725 votes towards a seat in the national assembly, blamed the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) for the poor performance of independent candidates.
In a statement, Mda said like the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), she supported the idea of an election re-run due to the many inconsistencies including allegations of vote rigging against the IEC, during the recent elections.
“The IEC has failed to provide transparent and accountable results, and we demand that the process is reviewed and re-done. The constitution of South Africa clearly provides for a rerun of the elections within 90 days if no winner is declared. We believe that this is the only fair and democratic available remedy to resolve the current impasse,” she said.
On social media, Mda called out those who suggested that she was secretly supporting the MK Party, saying that the MK Party was within its rights to fight the matter in court.
“Are MK Party supporters/members not South Africans who are equally represented by the expressions of the constitution which allows and permits an election rerun? Or you think when you mention MK Party I will be moved? No puppet and apologist is going to silence us on this issue,” she said.
Mda also urged other political parties to put their differences aside and support the MK Party’s call for the elections to be re-done.
“The people of South Africa have spoken but their voices have been silenced by the opaque, lack of integrity and unaccountable process of the IEC. We cannot allow this to stand. We urge all political parties to put aside their differences and work together to ensure that a re-run of the elections is carried out in a free and fair manner,” she said.
On Monday, the secretary of Parliament Xolile George, revealed that he had cancelled the travel and accommodation arrangement for MK Party candidates, following their insistence on boycotting the first sitting scheduled for this Friday, June 14, in Cape Town.
The Star