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The United States (US) says it’s up to the South African government and Electoral
Commission of South Africa (IEC) to decide if the country needs observers in upcoming
national and provincial elections.
The statement comes after the Democratic Alliance (DA) last week wrote to the US
government pleading for additional resources to bolster the deployment of election observers
when South Africans go to to the polls on 29 May. “The DA’s letter effectively insinuates and
casts doubt that the IEC cannot run a smooth, free and fair election,” but the opposition party
has denied this.
US embassy spokesperson David Feldmann said South Africa is a sovereign country that
runs its own elections and the US recognizes the IEC has a long-standing and “excellent”
reputation for operating free and fair elections.
“South Africa, not without its challenges, has a reasonably healthy relationship with the US
government,” Feldmann stated. “The ambassador was talking about this the other day. It’s
really as robust as it has been in decades, we have a high level of conversation, we have the
presidents talking together, we have secretary Blinken and Minister Pandor.”
Feldmann added, “We have the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury who is in Gauteng today
and it’s a sign of how close the countries are. Even when we disagree and have different
approaches, we are talking.”
The national and provincial election is expected to be the most hotly contested since the
dawn of democracy 30 years ago. In its letter to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the
DA claimed the election was facing risks from Jacob Zuma’s Amazulu Muzi-Qawuli (MK)
Party and the ANC’s alliances with “malign international actors”.
Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa accused the DA of trying to “sell” South Africa to the
US by writing a letter to Blinken. The DA denied this accusation.
While welcoming international observers, the IEC has stated it has the capacity and
experience to deliver credible elections, as it has done since 1994. As a sovereign
democratic nation, the decision ultimately rests with South African authorities.
