CAPE TOWN, South Africa- The National Assembly seats have been distributed due to the results of the just-concluded General Election in South Africa.
Y News understands that the first session of the seventh administration will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
Preparations are underway to guarantee a seamless handover from the departing to the new Parliament.
Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has gazetted the information regarding the opening of the Parliament address.
The president will also be elected and sworn in during the first sitting.
However, following Sunday’s publication of the 2024 election results, police are bracing for potential unrest in KwaZulu-Natal, fearing an outbreak of riots like those that happened in the region in July 2021.
Hundreds of officers from the Public Order Police unit and Tactical Response Team were reportedly deployed to the region by 5pm on Sunday to quell possible social unrest.
Community policing forums and resident organisations are also getting ready, stating that locals want to avoid being caught off guard again. Thus far, there have been no recorded incidents.
The face of the uMkontho weSizwe Party (MKP), former president Jacob Zuma, insisted on Saturday night that the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) must not announce the election results until the party’s grievances, which included baseless allegations of vote-rigging, and its demand for a recount, were addressed.
According to Zuma, any announcement would incite the MK Party, which along with several other political parties, had filed complaints with the IEC.
“As citizens, we have the right to demand that. Organisations cannot say, ‘We can’t listen to you and let us rush,’ as that upsets people,” stated Zuma.
The party, which advocates nationalizing land and banks and scrapping the constitution, asserted that the IEC’s systems had been compromised and that vote-rigging had occurred without offering any evidence.
Political analysts attributed MK’s success mainly to Zuma’s popularity, rooted in his humble roots and anti-establishment stance.
The World Bank estimates that 55% of South Africans live in poverty.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) has been in power for 30 years, and unemployment has increased to 33pc.
Among the problems South Africans face are systemic corruption and ineffective government, which degrade living conditions.
Popular among many South Africans, Zuma was a champion of the anti-apartheid movement and has depended on populist programs to garner voters. However, he was dismissed from power as president in 2018 due to several corruption charges.
He painted his successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa, as an “agent of capital” during the election campaign, attributing South Africa’s woes to “white monopoly capital.”
He also criticised the ANC for its shortcomings, refusing to acknowledge that he had served as the party’s deputy president and president for ten of those years. Zuma made audacious pledges to eradicate poverty and unemployment.
He has claimed to be a victim of the legal system and denied any misconduct. The former president was imprisoned in July 2021 and has a criminal record for contempt of court.
During the hotly contested polls, the ANC lost 71 seats in Parliament, the Democratic Alliance (DA) gained 3, and MK scored 58 seats.
During a Heads of Mission news briefing in Johannesburg, retired Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta provided significant analysis and suggestions for the country’s electoral process.
As chairman of the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM), Uhuru stressed the importance of improving voting efficiency and integrity.
Uhuru emphasised the importance of the 2024 elections for South Africa’s political stability and democratic future.
“In summary, our mission observes that the 2024 elections held significant importance for the nation’s democratic future and carried consequences for political stability not only in South Africa and the surrounding sub-region but also throughout the African continent.” Voting was calm, and South Africans freely used their constitutional right to vote,” said Uhuru.
While speaking during the election results announcement ceremony, President Ramaphosa said:
“And now, we are all called upon to recognise that the election results reflect the people’s will. This election has made it plain that the people of South Africa expect their leaders to work together to meet their needs. They expect the parties for which they have voted to find common ground, to overcome their differences, and to act and work together for the good of everyone.”
According to the president, the 2024 national and provincial elections marked a victory for democracy and constitutional order for all South Africans.
President Ramaphosa also expressed gratitude for another peaceful, free, and fair election.
