Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema says if there are allegations of electoral fraud and vote-rigging in the US elections, global democracy is in danger. President Donald Trump is battling Democrat Joe Biden for the White House and has claimed that illegal voting is continuing.
Trump says he will approach the Supreme Court to ensure that voting is halted. Meanwhile, Trump’s false claim of victory has garnered some criticism from his own Republican constituents.
Malema says America as a first-world country is supposed to lead the way in terms of holding credible elections. He says Trump must accept defeat with dignity and not try and tarnish the process.
“If they are robbing each other it is good. They are tasting what we have been tasting here in Africa. They must know what the rigging is about, but Trump is a cry baby, he must accept defeat. If he is defeated he must accept. The same with Biden. They are first-world. They cannot be speaking about the rigging of elections because they are supposed to have the most sophisticated electoral system and if we third-world are still complaining about rigging and the first world is also complaining then democracy is in danger.”
Election full of surprises
As the counting continues in a race that’s being described now as too close to call, lecturer in Political Studies at Wits University Dr. Thokozani Chilenga-Butao says this election has been full of surprises. She says the Democrats were expecting clear victories in certain states, however, this has not been the case.
“It is disappointing for the Democrats, but I think they are still holding out that hope. We have to remember that in the same way that many people showed up to vote for Donald Trump in the first election when he was elected, many people also show up this time to vote for him, so both sides are holding on to hope.”
Trump has vowed to launch a Supreme Court challenge alleging voter fraud.
Chilenga-Butao says this shows that Trump is insecure about the results:
