South African Presidency hails Zim’s ‘harmonised elections’, but fails to mention the claims of ‘intimidation

The South African Presidency said it “noted” the Southern African Development Community’s reports of widespread irregularities in Zimbabwe’s elections. But there was no mention of the claims of “intimidation” faced by Zimbabwean voters. On Monday, the Presidency congratulated the Zimbabwean government and its people for “organising and holding the harmonised elections”, during which President Emmerson Mnangagwa, of the ruling Zanu-PF, was re-elected. According to News24, the Presidency, without elaborating, merely said it had “taken note of the preliminary pronouncements by the invited international observers missions”, which included the SADC and the African Union.