IEC Display Board Glitch Sparks Doubts: What Really Happened?
- The IEC display board malfunction has raised eyebrows among many South Africans on social media
- The commission’s leaderboards reportedly malfunctioned for almost two hours countrywide on 31 May 2024
- The IEC released a statement explaining that information and the vote-capturing process were compromised during that period
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Zingisa Chirwa is an experienced Briefly News journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, who has covered elections and current affairs on the radio for over 15 years.
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The IEC failed to convince South Africans that its election data was not compromised when the results display screens malfunctioned countrywide.
The commission’s display boards were reportedly down at the national centre and the different Provincial Results Operations Centres for almost two hours on 31 May 2024. The technical glitch led to a lot of panic and speculation, with some party leaders believing that votes went missing during the blackout.
@IECSouthAfrica released a statement that explained that its system did not crash and the information was still safe:
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Earlier in the day, the commission issued a notice on X apologising for the glitch and assured citizens that the results system was still operational as local offices continued to capture results:
South Africans not convinced
Despite the IEC’s explanation, some citizens were sceptical about the real reason behind the blackout and shared their doubts on social media platforms.
@sheabutterhun asked:
“What makes you think we're gonna trust the results you come with after this?”
@tinanyams said:
“Hopefully, there won’t be any more blackouts.”
@visse_ss wondered:
“So we must believe what you are telling us?”
@minayza questioned:
“So, is this the secret weapon of the ANC to win the elections that they were preaching about?”
@bongzmessi commented:
“As though any truth can ever come out of you...”
Bheki Cele confirms arrests: No significant problems encountered during elections
Briefly News reported that Police Minister Bheki Cele confirmed that 50 people were arrested for crimes linked to election disruptions.
He reiterated a statement by Deputy National Police Commissioner Tebello Mosikili on election safety. The police minister also confirmed that no major incidents were reported during the election period.
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Source: Briefly News
