Pretoria – In just a few hours, the wait will be over, and millions of South Africans will know the final results of what has been the most highly contested Local Government Elections.
The Electoral Commission (IEC) is expected to declare the official results this evening at 6pm.
Following the elections on Wednesday, the IEC will announce the results within the prescribed seven days as is required by Section 5(1)(n) of the Electoral Commission Act.
The Presidency said this was the most highly contested elections since the dawn of democracy in 1994.
The commission said today’s announcement will depend on the finalisation of counting and dealing with any objections that may be lodged as per provisions of the Electoral Act 57(2)(b).
President Jacob Zuma is expected to attend the official announcement of the results, which will be held at the National Results Operations Centre (ROC), in Pretoria.
Political party leaders and Ministers, among others, are expected to attend the official results announcement and the subsequent gala dinner to be held later tonight. Security at the ROC precinct has been beefed up.
Many, including the country’s President and Deputy President, have commended the IEC for its sterling work in conducting this year’s elections, and the commission has been praised for its integrity and affording South Africans an opportunity to exercise their democratic rights to vote.
The Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC countries (ECF-SADC) also said this year’s elections adhered to the legal framework governing elections in South Africa.
“On behalf of the ECF-SADC... I want to congratulate the people of the Republic of South Africa, the Independent Electoral Commission of the Republic of South Africa, all electoral stakeholders and the government, on the orderly and peaceful municipal elections whose outcome the ECF-SADC Observer Mission believes will reflect the will of the people,” the head of the ECF-SADC Electoral Observer Mission and chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission of Lesotho, Justice Mahapela Lehohla said.
Vote counting in some of the provinces was completed as early as Thursday, while final results in some of the country’s major metros including Tshwane and Ekhuruleni was completed on Saturday. - SAnews.gov.za
