Malema slams patriarchy after his wife was asked to take out fake nail to vote

Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema and his wife, Mantwa, were shocked after an IEC staff member allegedly asked her to take out her fake nail to vote in Seshego on Wednesday.

“A staff member told my wife to take out her nail so they could put a mark and I found that bizarre and I asked where it was written that women who have long nails can’t vote.”

Malema said it was a patriarchal arrangement that had to be challenged now before it became institutionalised.

“The next thing they are going to say women must take out weaves because they want to see if it’s really them on the ID. Such nonsensical things, it starts small like that, before you know it is institutionalised. It must be challenged now,” said the EFF leader.

He claimed the person who puts a mark on people’s nails had a pair of scissors that they gave to women who had fake nails to take them out.

“The person who puts a mark on people has a pair of scissors and gives people to take their nails out, so I’m not sure how many people’s nails were taken out. It must never be costly for people to vote because to put nails, it’s money, and for someone to give you scissors to take out the nail, are they going to pay for it?”

Another IEC official, however, intervened and clarified that there was no rule against such.

He further emphasised the importance of knowing electoral rules for IEC staff members to know the rules and abide by them.

“We don’t run elections through common sense, you ought to know the rules by heart because when you are challenged you can’t produce anything, it shows you’re using your emotions and your feelings to decide what needs to happen.”

The overall process, however, went well, according to Malema, who praised the IEC for being organised where he voted.

(Compiled by Vhahangwele Nemakonde)

Also read: People who have ‘fake’ nails can vote, says IEC

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