As South Africa’s most competitive election approaches in just a week, the IEC has emphasized that not conducting free and fair elections would compromise its integrity.
On Wednesday, the commission inaugurated its national results operation center at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand.
Despite facing numerous legal challenges in recent months, the IEC believes it has taken all necessary measures to maintain the integrity of the country’s seventh democratic elections.
Political leaders, donned in suits and ties and some in their distinctive red overalls, were present in Midrand to gauge the IEC’s preparedness for the nation’s most awaited election.
The commission reassured them that systems have been established to ensure the transparency of the country’s seventh democratic elections.
IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo revealed that 73% of the commission’s election volunteers were female, 84% were unemployed, and 28% were youths under the age of 25.
“We say to colleagues, remember that this election is not about us and it is certainly not about our prejudices. An election is about the 27 million registered voters whose political choice we are called to facilitate and record.”
Following the voting by South Africans living abroad over the weekend, Mamabolo announced that ballot papers from around the globe were being transported back to the country.
National Results Centre: A Hub for Electoral Transparency
The IEC described the national results center as a pivotal location for electoral transparency.
This center will act as the primary hub where political parties, election observers, and the media can receive real-time updates on the election results.
“We bring in political parties, observers, the IEC, and the media into one facility so that every one of us can have sight of the results as they come from various voting stations,” said Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Masego Shehuri.
“Parties can compare those results to those they receive from their [party] agents and, if there is a need, they may raise objections where there are inconsistencies between the results they have received at the voting station and those we have captured onto our results system.”
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