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The national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe has explained why the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK) leader Jacob Zuma was denied access to the Electoral Commission’s Results Operations Centre (ROC) at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Johannesburg yesterday.
She says at the time Zuma arrived, President Cyril Ramaphosa was already speaking at the commission’s results declaration ceremony.
Mathe says the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJoints) ensured that the doors to the venue were closed for security reasons.
“I think the IEC made an announcement that by 17h30, everyone should be seated because the official programme would be starting at 18h00. So, we took an operational decision that we will not be allowing anyone into the venue, whether be it a politician, whether be it an invited guest into the venue when the President is speaking – because people were supposed to be seated by 17h30,” adds Mathe.
Below is the full interview with Athlenda Mathe