IEC rejects Malema’s election claims, schedules meeting with EFF

Cape Town – The Electoral Commission has raised concern over what it says are “sustained yet inaccurate” claims about the integrity of the 2024 National and Provincial Elections, warning that such statements could undermine public confidence ahead of upcoming municipal polls.

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said in a statement on 18 May 2026 that it has noted “persistent false statements” by political party leaders questioning the management and accuracy of election results.

The Commission specifically responded to recent remarks made by the President of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema, in a podcast, in which he alleged that votes at Mponegele Primary School in Polokwane, Limpopo, were swapped and incorrectly attributed to the African National Congress (ANC).

The IEC rejected the claim, saying that official results slips from the voting station match exactly with data captured on its Results System.

“This is not correct. Results slips in the hands of the Commission indicate that the Mponegele Primary School vote count is the same as those captured on the Commission’s Results System,” the IEC said.

Normal consultation

The Commission emphasised that South Africa’s results collation process is “robust and predicated on transparency, extensive safeguards, and checks and balances” designed to protect electoral integrity.

It outlined several safeguards, including vote counting in the presence of party agents and observers, signed result slips at voting stations, a double-blind data capture system, independent auditing of results, and access for political parties to audit the system.

The IEC also noted that voting station results are made available to parties and the media at Results Operating Centres, and that parties are allowed to photograph and broadcast result slips once completed.

“As part of the normal consultation with electoral stakeholders, senior officials of the Electoral Commission already have a scheduled meeting with the EFF leadership on 21 May 2026,” the Commission said.

It added that the engagement will be used to brief the party on election readiness and address any concerns raised about the electoral process.

The Commission said it remains open to engagement through Political Liaison Committees, stressing its commitment to “the integrity, credibility and strengthening of South Africa’s electoral democracy.”