All systems go for upcoming local government elections

“PLEASE campaign professionally, so that voters believe in your manifesto; don’t force people to vote for you.”

These were the words of Dr Imogen Mashazi, Ekurhuleni’s municipal electoral officer, at the signing of the electoral code of conduct, as a pledge to commit to free and fair elections.

The political parties and independent candidates standing in Ekurhuleni gathered at the Germiston Lapa, on Thursday, to sign the pledge which gives their party’s support to the code of conduct.

This code calls on parties to practice political tolerance towards each other during the campaigning period leading up to the local government elections on August 3.

Mashazi urged political parties to respect the rules.

She added that there are 1.5 million registered voters in Ekurhuleni who will be making their mark at one of the 626 voting stations in the region.

“Of these voting stations, 54 are tents, so temporary voting stations,” she said.

“While most of the tents will be erected on July 31, to be ready for special votes taking place on August 1 and 2, some will only be erected each morning of the voting process and then taken down at night.

“This is due to the fact that tents were burnt in a number of hot spot areas during the previous voting process.”

Thandi Radebe, the programme director on the day, reminded the political parties that they must also ensure that their posting of placards adheres to the by-laws of the metro.

“We will take them down if they are put on traffic lights and electricity sub-stations,” she said.

During the event, a number of other speakers chatted to the audience about various issues relating to the election process and the run-up to it.

The main crux of the addresses was that the elections should be free and fair, political parties should not indulge in dirty fighting and voters should not be coerced into voting for a particular party.

Twenty-six political parties registered in Ekurhuleni to take part in the local government elections, of which two were disqualified, while five of the 19 independent candidates who registered were disqualified.

The event culminated in each political party representative and independent candidate signing the pledge and giving their support to free and fair elections in Ekurhuleni.

*Courtesy of the Germiston City News

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