An SMS to your friends is not the correct way to raise complaints in the ANC

The ANC’s electoral commission responded last night to rumours that the company that ran the elections – Elexions Agency – is a newly founded company with ties to Mo Shaik, brother of the jailed fraudster Schabir Shaik, who has similar close links to Jacob Zuma, the victor in the leadership election.

"We would like to respond to the hundreds of rumours about manipulation of the process by stating simply that no complaint has been lodged with us," said Bertha Gxowa, the chair of the commission.

"An SMS to your friends is not the correct way to raise complaints in the ANC. Any delegate who feels that any part of our process robbed them of their democratic rights should please come forward immediately and approach the commission."

But she added the rumour about Mo Shaik and the agency being set up specifically to fix the election in favour of Zuma is one rumour she will reply to.

She explained that the ANC’s election commission approached Drenee Nupen, Bontle Mpakanyane and Thobile Thomas to run the elections since they have done it since 1991, as staff of two other agencies. This time they were partners in a training company called Umsebenzi-Mosebetsi.

"They agreed to assist us and registered a company specifically to focus on running elections since they are regularly approached to run elections for most provinces of the ANC, the SACP and Cosatu," Gxowa said.

"This company was registered in the last few weeks. We have been assured that the only directors or shareholders in this company are the three people mentioned above, as can easily be checked with the Registrar of Companies. The Agency has been transparent about the process around the setting up of the elections company to the Commission and we remain confident that they are absolutely neutral and professional."

With acknowledgements to Michael Hamlyn and The Times.