Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema wants all South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) office bearers not to be hired as staff of the Election of Commission of South Africa (IEC), asserting that this measure will help ensure that no elections will be rigged.
Malema voiced his concerns on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday.
On X, Malema said: “The reality is no election is going to be rigged and if you feel defeated before even putting up a fight then give up. We have solid election structures including highly trained party agents.
“We are marking SADTU office bearers at all levels and shop stewards not to be hired as IEC staff. We are recruiting professionals mostly targeting the retired ones to volunteer as our party agents because they won't be easily intimidated,” he stated.
The Red berets leader said the rhetoric of predetermined outcomes was extremely dangerous, especially during highly contested elections like the one we are confronted with now.
“We heard before that people have intelligent information about this or that without producing anything material even at a point where we thought something would give nothing,” said Malema.
"Not now, we have listened to this nonsensical story of "information came" for far too long and it won't work this time around.”
He continued to say that the role of opposition parties was to complement each other at the voting stations.
“I can't put it better than what the president of the ATM said, we must look after each other's vote. If anything goes wrong we will have allowed it, the counting part is the most critical point of every election,” he said.
This calls comes months after Malema urged his party members not to allow any Sadtu member or trade unions affiliated with the ANC to be election officials in the IEC.
In November, he told Sadtu to “go to hell” after the union urged him to apologise and withdraw allegations that its members would compromise the elections in favour of the ANC.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced last week that the 2024 general elections will be held on May 29.
kamogelo.moichela@inl.co.za
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