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‘You’re not on the roll!’: IEC scrambles to find UDM leader Bantu Holomisa’s voting station
Bantu Holomisa hit a speed wobble on Wednesday morning when the UDM leader was told his name was not on the voters' roll.
United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa finally casts his vote after he was initially turned away from the Mthatha Town Hall voting station. Pictures: Gallo Images/ City Press/ Tebogo Letsie and X/ @BantuHolomisa
Seasoned politician and leader of the United Democratic Movement (UDM), Bantu Holomisa, finally got to make his mark as the nation headed to the polls on Wednesday morning.
Earlier in the day, the party’s Eastern Cape premier candidate was among several disgruntled voters who were turned away from the Mthatha Town Hall voting station because their “names were not on the voters’ roll”.
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View MapAccording to Holomisa, he was told by Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) officials to go and vote at the Mthatha General Hospital instead.
Bantu Holomisa finally gets to vote
The party leader expressed his dismay on social media, noting that he had voted at the same voting station during the 2021 local government elections.
He also confirmed that he registered to vote at the Mthatha Town Hall earlier this year.
The issue was fortunately resolved with Holomisa telling the Daily Dispatch, that he “eventually” voted along with some of his party members.
“There was a bit of confusion from their side,” he explained before adding: “I’ve cast my vote, there’s nothing these things can do to distract us”.
‘Let’s hope IEC will assist them soon’
In his X update, Holomisa wrote that he and his party members were not the only ones to fall victim to this voters’ roll glitch.
“Sadly others who are supposed to vote in the City Hall, are also not appearing in the voters’ rolls. Let’s hope IEC will assist them soon.”
2024 Elections an opportunity for provincial unity – Holomisa
In the run-up to the elections, the UDM leader told The Citizen that the 2024 elections were an opportunity to end one-party dominance.
The retired army general said that he would prefer a government of provincial unity with all political parties interested in rebuilding the Eastern Cape represented.
According to Holomisa, the Eastern Cape’s budget was not adequate to address the historic infrastructure backlogs in the rural areas of the former Ciskei and Transkei, as well as in urban townships.
If the UDM won the provincial polls, Holomisa would relinquish his National Assembly seat to go to Bhisho to take over as Eastern Cape premier.
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