IEC dismisses Malema’s vote-manipulation claim, schedules meeting with EFF ahead of municipal polls

IEC says records show no discrepancy at Polokwane voting station

The IEC responded after EFF leader Julius Malema alleged in a podcast interview that votes cast for the EFF at Mponegele Primary School in Polokwane had been incorrectly allocated to the African National Congress (ANC). The commission said it had records showing no difference between the results captured at the voting station and those in its official results system.

“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,”

IEC highlights safeguards protecting result integrity

The IEC warned that repeated misinformation could undermine confidence in democratic processes and outlined the checks it says protect election outcomes. The commission listed safeguards that include:

• Counting votes at voting stations in full view of party agents and observers
• Compiling and countersigning result slips by political party representatives
• A double-blind electronic capturing process
• Independent auditing of captured results against physical result slips
• Auditing of election systems by external experts
• Allowing political parties to inspect and audit election systems
• Making voting station results available to parties and media at Results Operating Centres
• Permitting parties to photograph and publicly share results slips immediately after counting

The IEC said these mechanisms are designed to safeguard electoral integrity and public trust.

Planned meeting with EFF and the local angle for Johannesburg and Gauteng

The commission confirmed that senior officials are scheduled to meet EFF leadership on 21 May 2026, following a request from the party. The IEC said the meeting will focus on election readiness for the municipal polls and provide an opportunity for the EFF to raise concerns about electoral processes.

While the announcement centres on national oversight in Polokwane, the IEC framed the talks in the context of the forthcoming local government elections, stressing that maintaining public trust in the credibility of election outcomes remains critical. For voters and political actors in Gauteng including Johannesburg the IEC’s response and the planned engagement with the EFF underline the commission’s intent to address party concerns ahead of municipal voting.

In practical terms, the IEC’s emphasis on procedural safeguards and on-party access to result slips and audits could shape how parties in Johannesburg monitor counts and lodge queries in the lead-up to the local polls.

Engagement and oversight

The IEC said it is committed to engaging constructively with all political parties through Political Liaison Committees to strengthen confidence in South Africa’s electoral democracy. With municipal elections approaching, the commission stressed the importance of preserving public trust in election outcomes.

Key facts:

• IEC rejects claims that results from Mponegele Primary School were misallocated.
• Records match between voting station counts and the Commission’s Results System, the IEC said.
• Meeting scheduled between IEC senior officials and EFF leadership on 21 May 2026 to discuss municipal election readiness.
• Safeguards listed by the IEC include visible counts, countersigned result slips, audits and party access to systems and results.