In the fiercely contested Metsimaholo by-election, the South African Communist Party (SACP) have claimed that there has been vote rigging. The SACP and African National Congress are going head-to-head in the election for the first time Read: SACP set to contest Metsimaholo by-election
The SACP took a resolution to contest future elections at its congress earlier this year. The ANC has asked the SACP to provide proof of wrong doing. SACP’s first deputy general secretary, Solly Mapaila says they have presented proof to the Electoral Commission (IEC) not the ANC.
We don't have to account to the ANC on this matter.
— Solly Mapaila, SACP’s first deputy general secretary,
We have asked our comrade to provide evidence, but we also indicated that the Metsimaholo people need municipality that is functional and not bulked down by unnecessary processes.
— Solly Mapaila, SACP’s first deputy general secretary,
Mapaila says that there is a lot of rot in Metsimaholo hence their concern over fair elections on the municipality. For Mapaila, teh IEC was ill equipped to deal with the issues that occurred during the election.
When it comes to what the people on the ground are thinking, Amy Musgrave. a labour and economic analyst says that most of them are concerned.
Read: Mapaila: SACP going head-to-head with ANC in election is history in the making
Most of [the people] are also quite skeptical, because I think the SACP decided a bit too late that they were going to contest this election independently.
— Amy Musgrave, labour and economic analyst
There is a big interest in the SACP and what it can deliver, but I think citizens are a bit weary because obviously the SACP have had no time to show that it can govern, and govern properly. It's association with the ANC is also a concern.
— Amy Musgrave, labour and economic analyst
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