Ramaphosa urges Zimbabwe to accept court ruling
President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged Zimbabwean leaders to accept the decision of the country’s Constitutional Court which upheld President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recent election victory.
In his ruling, Chief Justice Luke Malaba strongly criticised the MDC Alliance's case and upheld Mnangagwa's win in the July 30 poll.
"The court finds the applicant has failed to place before it clear, direct, sufficient and credible evidence of irregularities," Malaba said in Harare on Friday.
"There was no proof of the happenings of these irregularities as a matter of fact."
Mnangagwa and the ruling ZANU-PF party won the election with 50.8 percent of the vote -- just enough to meet the 50 percent threshold needed to avoid a run-off against MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) leader Nelson Chamisa, who scored 44.3 percent.
"The South African government urges all those involved in the court case, in particular the applicants and the respondents, to accept the decision of the court. It is important, going forward, that all parties work towards lasting peace, unity and prosperity
in Zimbabwe," Ramaphosa said in a statement.
He also congratulated President Mnangagwa and said South Africa is ready to work with the Zimbabwean government.
Mnangagwa's inauguration is set to take place on Sunday.
Lawyers for the MDC had earlier argued that the results should be annulled due to alleged "massive doctoring" of the vote.
But the court backed the arguments of lawyers representing Mnangagwa, ZANU-PF and the election commission who rubbished claims that the opposition had produced any substantial evidence of fraud.