MK party heads to Electoral Court to challenge election results

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party is continuing with its fight to challenge the outcome of the national and provincial elections results.

Former President Jacob Zuma’s party is now heading the Electoral Court where its filed an urgent application to have the election results set aside.

Irregularities

In court papers, Zuma’s MK party wants the Electoral Court to declare the polls invalid, arguing that the elections were not free and fair.

“There were “serious election irregularities of the nature that it cannot be said that such results reflected a free and fair election and the will of the voters.

“Reviewing and setting aside the decision of the first respondent to declared election results of 29 May to be free and fair,” the MK party argued.

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New elections

The MK party also wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to proclaim a new election.

“Directing the president by proclamation an in terms of Section 49(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa to call for a new national election, which must be held within 90 days of the order of the court setting aside the election.”

Zuma’s party also asked the court to be awarded the costs of the legal action.

MK loses

Last week, Zuma’s MK party was dealt a blow when the Constitutional Court dismissed its urgent application to interdict Chief Justice Raymond Zondo and Parliament from proceeding with the first sitting of the new parliament.

The MK party sought for direct access to the ConCourt, which it argued in papers had “exclusive jurisdiction” to decide on its two-part application to interdict parliament’s first sitting from going ahead and included an attempt to overturn the outcome of the national and provincial elections.

The apex court ruled the MK party did not make a case for the granting of an interim interdict as it didn’t show that it will suffer irreparable harm if the interdict is not granted, nor that “the balance of convenience favours the granting of the interdict.”

Zuma address

Meanwhile, Zuma is expected to address the nation on Sunday.

The MK party said Zuma will address the nation at a “pivotal media conference” to discuss a number of topics.

“This is regarding the current political situation and ongoing developments in South Africa, covering a range of topics that are currently vital to the national discourse and the future trajectory of the nation.”

Despite the MK party managing to get 14.58% of the national vote in the national elections and 45.35% in the provincial ballot to become the largest party in that province, Zuma’s party did not manage to hang onto KZN, and have certainly not been able to dictate what happened at national level.

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