President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the crowd during the announcement of the 2024 election results at Gallagher Estates. (Alfonso Nkunjana/News24)
- In the IEC election results announcement, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the people had spoken.
- He also used his speech to tell jokes.
- The President expressed his gratitude to the IEC for conducting yet another fair and transparent election.
President Cyril Ramaphosa's party, the ANC, suffered a heavy defeat in the 2024 general elections, but the president made the joke in his speech announcing the results.
It was Ramaphosa's first public address as provincial president since Wednesday's election.
It remains to be seen whether his speech when the IEC officially announces the general election results on Sunday evening will be his last as a sitting president.
With no party emerging as a clear winner in the elections, coalition negotiations are about to begin in earnest.
President Ramaphosa began his speech by saying he wanted to comment on four points and asked Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, who was with him, to “cover his ears”.
“Firstly, I would like the Chief Justice to cover his ears in case what I am about to say is challenged again in court, what I have said here as leader of a political party. Of course, Mr Speaker, as you correctly said, I am speaking here as the President of the Republic,” President Ramaphosa said.
Rolling Coverage | The ANC lost 71 seats in parliament, the DA gained three and the MKP won 58.
This was a jab at the MK party and the DA, who had taken President Ramaphosa to court a week before the election over a speech in which many parties accused him of campaigning for the ANC.
“Just one small comment and the Chief Justice is already covering his ears. [IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya] “The president has done great harm by saying the results of the 2019 election are true,” he said, as the crowd laughed.
ANC first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane also joked: “We will be very comfortable and at home.”
President Ramaphosa again used humorous language to criticise Moyepiya for his mistake in calling a “distinguished guest” a “vanished guest”.
He said:
I am not gone yet. I never thought I would hear an IEC talk about love. You mentioned love. A lot of us really want love.
Moving on to the evening's agenda, President Ramaphosa said the announcement of the results of the 2024 national and provincial elections would represent a “victory for our democracy, our constitutional order and for all South Africans”.
“We have once again successfully conducted free, fair and peaceful elections,” President Ramaphosa said.
He made the remarks as around 20 political parties, including MK, claimed without evidence that the election was “rigged”.
MK party leader and former president Jacob Zuma said at a press conference on Saturday night that there was no need for the Electoral Commission to rush to announce the results and that the party was considering blocking it.
Read | 'Don't create trouble where there is no trouble': Zuma warns against announcement of election results
“Despite many challenges, the IEC conducted the elections brilliantly,” President Ramaphosa said.
He praised South Africans who turned out in large numbers to vote on 29 May.
He said this showed that the country's people care about South Africa and their desire to make the country a better place.
“South Africans have demonstrated how important their vote is and know that their vote counts. By going to vote, South Africans are taking responsibility not only for their own future and that of their families, but also for the future of their country,” President Ramaphosa said.
“Through their vote, they demonstrated clearly and unequivocally that our democracy is strong, robust and enduring.”
“They carried out a clarion call that has resonated for generations: that the people should govern.”
He added:
In his speech, he expressed appreciation for the role of the media during the election period.
“I also thank the journalists, researchers, cameramen, producers, analysts and other media workers who played a vital role in ensuring South Africans are well informed when they go to vote,” President Ramaphosa said.