Politicians’ claims of bias are attempts to ‘inject insurrectionist mood’ into elections – IEC

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has dismissed claims of bias made by former president Jacob Zuma against the electoral body.

Zuma, who has been campaigning for the new uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, recently accused the IEC of favouring the African National Congress (ANC). 

‘No evidence of bias’

In a media briefing on Wednesday, IEC vice-chairperson Janet Love said the commission has received no proof of any bias.

“I think what we would say to any political party, and that includes the unrepresented political parties, is that as soon as a political party is part of the process for an upcoming election, they are aIso part of the process of joining with the commission to ensure that the elections are managed in a way that is free and fair.

“The commission has received absolutely no evidence of bias and rejects this kind of talk that attempts to really inject into our country almost an insurrectionist mood,” she told reporters.

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Love urged political parties to work with the IEC to ensure free and fair elections.

“It is unacceptable, it’s undemocratic and we invite every political contestant, whether it is a person who is coming from a political party or a person who is an independent candidate to recognise that part of being a candidate is join and accept responsibility for making these elections a success and that it is irresponsible as a citizen to try and undermine a process of the commission rather than to enable it,” the IEC vice-chair said.

Watch the briefing below:

ANC vs MK Party

Regarding the trademark dispute between the ANC and MK Party, Love pointed out that the matter is before the high court.

“The commission is not directly impacted in that particular case. The case that is to do with the Electoral Court is the issue about whether or not the decision that was made to accept the registration is something that ought to be reviewed by the court.

“Essentially, the matter revolves around the procedures that are required in the Electoral Commission Act whereby a party wants to register must publish certain information in the government gazette and during the period of two weeks that it is published in the gazette anybody has the opportunity to object and those objections have to taken into consideration,” she explained.

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Love added: “If there is no objection, the commission has to apply its mind as to whether or not the name, the logo, the abbreviation or anything really similar to those three exists and then it has to apply its mind to ensure that the Constitution is not discriminatory.

“And then it has to take onboard some of the administrative information, which is not published in the gazette, that is needed such as the address, the party officials, the leader of the party and also the signatories.”

Zuma suspension

This week, the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) decided to suspend Zuma for campaigning for the MK party rather than the governing party.

According to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, the decision to punish Zuma was unanimous.

Zuma’s membership will remain suspended until the finalisation of disciplinary proceedings, including reviews.

A decision on the permanent expulsion of former president from the ANC has not been taken yet.

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