Share

As ANC ‘missing votes’ saga drags on, leaders threaten to call for a poll rerun

accreditation
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma with Ace Magashule – whose secretary-general position is being disputed pending a decision on whether or not disputed votes should be included in the tally.Picture: Deaan Vivier/Netwerk24
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma with Ace Magashule – whose secretary-general position is being disputed pending a decision on whether or not disputed votes should be included in the tally.Picture: Deaan Vivier/Netwerk24

The so-called “missing” votes in the ANC’s leadership elections came about because the affected delegates were legitimate representatives of their branches but their names did not appear on the voters’ roll.

This is according to a video of a meeting outside the Nasrec centre on Tuesday by a lobby supporting newly elected ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa. 

The inclusion of these votes could see Free State Premier Ace Magashule stripped of his secretary-general position just a day after he was announced on Monday.

Magashule beat former KwaZulu-Natal Premier Senzo Mchunu by a margin of 24 votes. The missing votes are said to be either 63 or 68 – which could change the results.

The other successful candidates won by much higher margins. Ramaphosa beat fellow contender Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma by 179 votes to become the ANC’s president.

In the video, a man whose voice sounded like that of Gauteng premier David Makhura said that because the delegates had “valid tags” the electoral committee decided that they must vote separately and their votes would be counted pending a determination by the steering committee that they were indeed valid.

“But by the time the results were announced that had not been done. [The votes] are sealed and set aside and those votes had not been added to the numbers that were delivered to us yesterday.”

The electoral commission referred the matter to the steering committee and agreed to add the votes once a decision was taken, he said.

“But the steering committee did not deal with the matter yesterday. We are told that they are dealing with it this morning.”

He said that if that matter was not resolved then the delegates would still be disenfranchised when it came to voting for the 80-member national executive committee.

“It is not good. If they are valid delegates, accredited and part of the credential, it is disenfranchising them”

He said they were aware that supporters of the losing presidential candidate, Dlamini-Zuma were going to fight the issue of including these votes.

“They were in their caucus now and they say they are going to call for re-vote on everything.”

“The real issue is that that problem is sealed, so it is easy to know where the problem is and solve it. So once they are counted they get added to everybody.”

He said the matter will need to be resolved before the election of the other members of the national executive committee.

Five provinces agreed and have raised the matter at the steering committee, he said.

“But it will come to plenary so you should be fully alert and ready,” said the man.

Earlier North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo, also a Dlamini-Zuma supporter, called for a political solution to the issue and warned that if that failed then he had a mandate from his delegates to call for “a rerun of the entire top six”.


Setumo Stone
Political journalist
City Press
p:+27 11 713 9001
w:www.citypress.co.za  e: setumo.stone@citypress.co.za
      
 
Sign up for City Press' morning newsletter On a Point of Order here



We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do you believe that the various planned marches against load shedding will prompt government to bring solutions and resolve the power crisis?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes
21% - 103 votes
No
79% - 394 votes
Vote