Johannesburg - African National Congress members who backed Senzo Mchunu to become ANC secretary general are questioning the final voting tally.
Mchunu, the former KwaZulu-Natal ANC chairperson, lost to Free State chair Ace Magashule by 24 votes on Monday night. The position of secretary general is seen as the engine of the party's Luthuli House headquarters.
Magashule received 2 360 votes while Mchunu received 2 336. There were eight abstentions and four spoilt votes.
Supporters said the numbers do not add up, as the EleXion agency announced that 4708 of 4776 delegates voted.
"What happened to 68 votes?" one supporter asked via a WhatsApp message.
Another claimed that the steering committee for the 54th ANC national elective conference will be approached to attend to the matter.
Visit our special report, #ANCVotes, for all the news, analysis and opinions about the ANC’s national elective conference.
On Monday night, a shocked Mchunu was seen going up to the stage and asking to see the final results when Magashule was announced as the winner.
Another source close to Mchunu refused to comment to News24, but said: "Journalists should keep a close eye around developments on the claims throughout the day."
Mchunu was nominated for the position of secretary general on now ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa's slate.
Ramaphosa's faction also lost out on the positions of deputy secretary general and deputy ANC president, with Jessie Duarte retaining her position as deputy secretary general and David Mabuza becoming deputy president.
Meanwhile, ANC head of elections Nomvula Mokonyane has distanced herself from several messages claiming that she tampered with the registration of delegates and the election process.
This was after she was accused of fiddling with the registration process ahead of the conference and asking for a recount of the results after the voting and counting had been completed on Monday.
- Read more: Mokonyane rubbishes claims of rigging, vote delay
Moemish of the #ANC54: Senzo Mchunu supporters celebrating thinking he has been voted as SG. The group carried him to the stage, only to realize that Ace Makgashule is elected as SG. #CR17 #NDZ #ANCDecides pic.twitter.com/bSbEUxkbsV
— Leb? M?tlapeng ????? (@Junbugstone) December 19, 2017
Voting delegates were 4776
— Ntokozo Mbatha (@Ntokozo13876375) December 19, 2017
Ace Magashule got 2360
Senzo Mchunu got 2336
There were 8 abstentions
There were 4 spoilt votes
2360+2336+8+4= 4708
4776-4708=68
What happened to 68 votes?
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