Pietermaritzburg Court Dismisses Application to Transfer IEC Official’s Case to Electoral Court

• The Pietermaritzburg Magistrates Court dismissed an application the arrested Independent Electoral Commission official made
• The IEC official was arrested after he allegedly tampered with the ballot bot, and he lost the bid to have his case heard by the Electoral Court
• South Africans commented on the case, and some believed this was a victory for the MK Party, while others held different views

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered police investigations and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

PIETERMARITZBURG—The Pietermaritzburg Magistrates Court dismissed an application for the Independent Electoral Commission employee who was arrested and appeared at the court.

Suspect appeared in Pietermaritzburg court

According to SABC News, Musawenkosi Mnikathi appeared after being arrested for allegedly removing election material without a South African Police Service escort. He had applied to have his court case transferred to the Electoral Court. However, the court dismissed his application and said it had jurisdiction for the case to be heard at the court.

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Magistrate Edmund Szudrawski said that contravening the Electoral Acti is a criminal offence and added that the suspects' trial has to proceed in a Magistrates Court. The MK Party applauded the ruling and said that the verdict vindicated the party.

The party had previously protested outside of the court during Mnikathi's appearance. The party believed the country was robbed of an opportunity to be led by them. They've also been fighting in court to declare the election results invalid, and the first parliamentary sitting was declared unlawful.

South Africans debate the post

Some on Facebook held different beliefs than others about the case.

Mthokozisi Sithole said:

"The IEC has a lot to answer to in this regard. Time has run out."

Velocity Meme said:

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"And scientifically, the pains land at Hellen Zille and Cyril Ramaphosa's doors."

Sibongiseni Mase Mbiko said:

"Let's vote again."

Funanani Netshivhale Tshidzuwelele said:

"Zuma is a clown."

Court orders IEC to respond to MK Party's case

In a similar article, Briefly News reported that the Electoral Court ordered the IEC and other respondents to respond to the MKP's case.

The MKP took the ANC, DA, other parties, Parliament and the IEC in its motion to declare the results invalid due to alleged voter rigging.

Source: Briefly News