Durban — Senior uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) member in KwaZulu-Natal, Visvin Reddy, says the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) must be blamed for the lower voter turnout because it blocked former president Jacob Zuma from going back to Parliament.
Expressing his personal views on the turnout, which dipped below 60% for the first time, Reddy said it was the IEC’s decision to prevent Zuma from going back to Parliament that discouraged many people to go out and vote despite showing interest by registering.
Barring Zuma also impacted negatively on the MK Party to achieve a two-thirds majority, he said.
“I would like to share some insights on the recent general election results. The MK Party, under the leadership of president Jacob Zuma, has made significant strides, now leading in KwaZulu-Natal and emerging as the third largest party in the country.
“This is a remarkable achievement, especially considering that the party is just five months old.
“However, despite these impressive results, I believe that a two-thirds majority would have been within our reach if not for certain factors.
“The voter turnout this year was lower, and many voters chose to stay away from the polls. This can be attributed to the actions of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), which excluded president Zuma from being a candidate in Parliament, depriving South Africans of electing the leader of their choice,” said Reddy.
The IEC exacerbated the situation by removing Zuma from the MK Party list which, Reddy said, undoubtedly contributed to a drop in support for the MK Party.
There have also been reports of vote rigging throughout the country, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, Reddy said.
The party has substantial evidence, proving that the IEC results are being manipulated to favour the ANC, he said.
ANC provincial secretary in KwaZulu-Natal, Bheki Mtolo, refuted Reddy’claim, saying the MK Party’s problem was their imaginary two-thirds majority which they could not get so now they are making l excuses.
The IEC is expected to also reflect on the lower turnout during the official declaration of the results on Sunday evening.
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