Pansy Tlakula
Johannesburg - IEC chairperson Pansy Tlakula has resigned, she announced on Tuesday.
"I have decided to resign from the Electoral Commission [IEC] and have submitted my letter of resignation to President Zuma," she said in a statement.
"I leave the IEC with a heavy heart and wish to thank the President, the National Assembly and the people of South Africa for affording me the opportunity to serve in one of the most important institutions promoting democracy."
Tlakula said she believed that in the 13 years she spent at the helm of the organisation she served without fear or favour, and contributed to building an institution that delivered election results that were accepted by all political parties.
"I wish to thank all political parties for the support they gave me throughout the years," she said.
Tlakula came under attack from political parties leading to the elections with many of them calling for her resignation. She was taken to court by some opposition parties.
The parties were the United Democratic Movement, the African Christian Democratic Party, the Congress of the People, Agang SA, and the Economic Freedom Fighters.
The parties argued that her integrity had been compromised. The application followed a forensic investigation by Treasury into the procurement of the IEC's Riverside Office Park building in Centurion, Pretoria.
The probe found the process was neither fair, transparent, nor cost-effective. It found Tlakula did not give guidance or formally inform various people what was expected of them in the process.
Tlakula had maintained she was not accused of corruption in the report. The Treasury's report followed a recommendation by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela in her own report into the matter, released in August last year.
She said the process of trying to clear her name had been long drawn-out and for the sake of the institution, she decided to abandon this process and resign.
