African Transformation Movement challenges election results, calls for rerun

• The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has filed a petition with the electoral court challenging the results of the May elections and demanding a rerun, similar to the uMkhonto weSizwe party
• Speaking to Briefly News, political analyst Arthur Shopola dismissed the likelihood of a rerun, citing logistical and financial challenges
• ATM leader Vuyo Zungula claimed vote rigging and voter corruption prevented many supporters from casting their ballots

Reitumetse Makwea, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Pretoria, South Africa, has covered local elections, policy changes, the State of the Nation Address and political news at The Citizen and Rekord Noweto for over five years.

The MKP and the ATM have filed an application with the electoral court challenging the outcome of the May elections and demanding a rerun of the vote. Images: Jeffrey Abrahams and Michele Spatari. Source: Getty Images

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has filed a petition with the electoral court challenging the results of the recent May elections and demanding a rerun of the vote.

This move mirrors the actions of the uMkhonto weSizwe party, which has also contested the election outcome and made allegations of vote-rigging.

However, experts say it's too late, and even if it were considered, it would be too costly.

No chance of a revote

Political analyst Arthur Shopola dismissed the likelihood of a rerun and said oppositions with a similar view on vote rigging as former President Jacob Zuma mainly were the overambitious, minor parties like Ace Magashule's ACT.

"But you must remember that Zuma thought he was going to get two-thirds, which obviously included an outright win in KZN. He's probably angry that he couldn't get to the level despite good performance in many parts of the country.

“If there is [a re-vote], the IEC will need another 90 days to prepare and must allocate another budget as well. It will be costly, but it will also greatly impact the IEC. I suspect that MKP will ask the current IEC leadership to step down if their request is granted.

ATM demands a rerun

In the party's founding affidavit, Mail & Guardian reported that ATM leader Vuyo Zungula asserted that the ATM was a “victim of miscalculations, vote rigging, and voter corruption.”

Zungula claimed that many of the ATM’s supporters could not cast their ballots because, despite being registered, their names did not appear on the voters' rolls in the correct voting districts.

“It was surprising and shocking for ATM to learn that most of its voters could not vote, in a manner that deprived them of their right to vote, the reason was their non-appearance on the voters' roll, despite being registered.”

He added that the same issue had plagued the 2019 national elections and expressed disappointment that the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) had not resolved it in the interim.

IEC is not able to conduct free and fair elections

Zungula argued that these issues and other irregularities suggested that the IEC could not conduct free and fair elections.

Social media comments reflect various opinions on the ATM’s challenge. One user, @DecideDied, dismissed the MK Party’s grievances, saying:

“The MK Party lost; they need to build a bridge and get over it; their tribalism cost them everything.”

Another user, @JSThumela, supported the challenge, stating:

“Good leaders who know the pain of waking up early and queuing in long voting lines, only for your efforts to be stolen by people who are supposed to protect them.”

@Vincent62343509 drew a parallel with the American electoral system, saying:

“Election results were challenged during the American elections - Bush versus Gore. Why was this acceptable for the USA, but in RSA it's being considered treason?”

Conversely, @cutahman expressed scepticism about the ATM's prospects in a rerun, commenting:

“With a rerun, I think you would perform worse because with only a few days just cast our votes, you have shown your voters that you care nothing for them. If you can be a minister, what would be your priority in that ministerial post, Zungula?”

MKP confidently bulldozes through KZN

Briefly News reported previously that the 2024 general elections, held on 29 May, saw uMkhonto we Sizwe (MKP) make a surprising impact, ranking in the top five as of the latest update.

Notably, the MKP has secured over 30% of the vote in KwaZulu-Natal, showcasing its significant regional influence.

MKP's spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndlela, emphasised the party's mission to bring hope and change to South Africans.