South Africa: MK Must Reveal Source of Claims that 9 Million Ballots Uncounted - Analyst

Elections analyst Michael Atkins has shared some views following the MK Party's boycotting of the first sitting of Parliament due to the IEC's alleged failure to deliver free and fair elections.

MK must reveal source of claims that 9 million ballots uncounted - analyst

Ballot boxes at Rosebank Junior School in Cape Town on 29 May 2024. Picture: Skhu Nkomphela/Eyewitness News

CAPE TOWN - Elections analyst Michael Atkins said that the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party would have to give evidence to the IEC about claims that there were nine million uncounted votes in the national elections.

Atkins has shared some views following the MK Party's boycotting of the first sitting of Parliament due to the IEC's alleged failure to deliver free and fair elections. 

On Sunday night, the MK Party reiterated its frustration with the alleged vote rigging during a media briefing in Sandton.

Atkins said the party must verify its claims.

"In this other column that they say votes counted, I can't find in the papers anything that explains the source of those figures and some of those figures are very different from the actual ballots showing in the results."

Atkins said that the party also needed to explain who their source was about the nine million uncounted votes.

"They claim unnamed sources from within the IEC, but there's no clear explanation of where that column comes from. So, until they show that, I don't see how they can really take the claim seriously."    

The party said its members will occupy their seats in the National Assembly soon.