IFP accuses ANC of ‘vote-rigging’ in KZN by-election

The Inkatha Freedom Party in KZN has accused the ANC of by-election vote-rigging.

The parties were contesting ward 5, Mthonjaneni on Wednesday when the IFP caught up with people they claimed to be ANC members who tried to vote in the ward when they were not eligible to do so.

IFP KZN provincial chairperson Thami Ntuli said they are appalled at the “complete” disregard for electoral democracy.

The party shared two short video clips in which two people, one wearing an ANC T-shirt, were interrogated.

Ntuli said the electoral code of conduct was broken through the bussing in of people believed to be ANC members from other areas to vote in the Mthonjaneni by-election.

“These people have been bused in from as far as eSikhaleni, Madlankala under uMhlathuze Municipality and surrounding areas.

“They were caught voting in the Mthonjaneni by-election. Some of these people have confirmed that they have indeed been transported to the area to vote and that they have no homes, nor have they ever resided in Mthonjaneni, not to mention in Ward 5.

“This comes after they were asked to point out their homes or where they stay in Ward 5. They could not, as they are not from the area,” said Ntuli.

Electoral fraud case

He said the party leadership has opened an electoral fraud case with the Melmoth police.

“This is not the first desperate attempt by the ANC to subvert democratic processes and to seek unlawful means to attempt to win a by-election in Mthonjaneni.

“Just a few weeks ago, the IFP wrote to the IEC in this province to file an objection about the voters’ roll for this Mthonjaneni by-election, after uncovering discrepancies.”

The IFP discovered that some of the voters who were previously on the roll for the recent by-elections in Ward 12 in Mthonjaneni Municipality, which were held on August 12, as well as the elections that took place in uMhlathuze Municipality in September, were suddenly registered online to vote in Mthonjaneni.

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“The mass movement of people from outside the King Cetshwayo District who were suddenly registered to vote in Ward 5 for this by-election was also identified and reported,” he said.

The IFP won three by-elections in the province on Wednesday.

These are ward 5 in Mthonjaneni, (a win that gives the IFP total control and an outright majority in Mthonjaneni Municipality), ward 13 in Abaqulusi in Vryheid and Ward 11 in Msinga.

The party wrestled ward 5 from the ANC while it retained the other two. The ANC in KZN rubbished the IFPs allegations, stating that it was the latter that used dirty tricks to win elections.

ANC provincial spokesperson Mafika Mndebele said there was no evidence that the people interrogated in the video clip were ANC members.

“ANC people are known in the area but we don’t even know the names of the people they purport to be our members. The IFP is playing dirty whenever they don’t feel comfortable about winning an election, and we are not surprised by the recent developments, we are only reoccupied with the work we are doing and about bringing hope back to the people,” said Mndebele.