President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged Zimbabwean leaders to accept the country’s Constitutional Court ruling, which reaffirmed Emmerson Mnangagwa’s victory as the duly elected President.
“The South African government urges all those involved in the court case, in particular the applicants and the respondents, to accept the decision of the court. It is important, going forward that all parties work towards lasting peace, unity and prosperity in Zimbabwe,” said the Presidency in a statement.
This follows the ruling of the supreme court of Zimbabwe handed down on Friday afternoon.
Opposition head and leader of the MDC Alliance, Nelson Chamisa, challenged the elections results, which placed Mnangagwa at the helm of the country.
The court validated the results as released by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on 02 August 2018.
Delivering the judgment on Friday, Justice Luke Malaba said Chamisa failed to prove that the elections were littered with irregularities that would have annulled the results.
“It is a duty of the court to sustain that, which the people have expressed their will in, therefore the application ought to be dismissed, Emmerson Mnangagwa is duly elected as President of Zimbabwe,” said Malaba.
Following the judgement, President Ramaphosa congratulated President Mnangagwa, the winner of the elections as confirmed by the country’s apex court.
President Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko said the president has recommitted South Africa's readiness to work with the government of Zimbabwe in the pursuit of closer political, cultural, economic and trade ties for the mutual benefit of the peoples of South Africa and Zimbabwe. – SAnews.gov.za
