We will monitor the IEC – Kham

The independent candidates who took the IEC to the Electoral Court and managed to get a ruling for the postponement of the Tlokwe by-elections say they will do it again if there are any further irregularities.

According to the order of the court, the Electoral Court set aside the Tlokwe by-elections that were scheduled for last week Wednesday for 6 weeks. The IEC has been ordered to provide all candidates in the Tlokwe municipal by-elections with a copy or a segment of the voters’ roll to be used in their respective wards in the municipal by-elections, including the addresses of all voters, where these are available.

In a statement to the Herald, David Kham, spokesperson for the independent candidates says, “We remain resolute in defence of the law of South Africa, the Constitution. We will monitor the IEC to make sure all issues are resolved according to the court order of the Constitutional Court.

“We want to send a strong warning to the NW premier to refrain from using taxpayers’ money to campaign for the ANC. We have reported this to the IEC for action, failing which I will take them to court again,” he said.

“We will continue to talk sense to the Potchefstroomers to change their votes. The time has come for people-centred and people-driven development. People should stop being fooled by the former ANC because the ANC is no more. People who are voting for the ANC are helping looters to drain the municipality with impunity.

“This dirty voters’ roll is to help the ANC cling to power at all cost because, if they are removed, all their corruption will be exposed, better delivery will take place and many towns will follow Tlokwe’s example.”

Political parties affected by the ruling have expressed their reactions to the order.

The ANC Bokone Bophirima provincial secretary, Dakota Legoete, said the ANC will abide by the court ruling. “We trust that the IEC will address all the concerns that have been raised within the stipulated period.” Legoete was confident that the ANC will win the by-elections whether they are held tomorrow or in six weeks. “Our opponents have simply postponed their defeat and pain by securing this judgment,” he said.

The ANC provincial chairperson, Supra Mahumapelo says, “The ANC urges the IEC to speedily prepare for the elections as pronounced.”

The Congress of the People (Cope) spokesperson, Thabang Maduna welcomed the judgment. However, he says, “they are concerned about the shenanigans of the IEC, in collusion with the ruling party, but not surprised at all, as it is the norm.”

“Cope calls for the dismissal of all the provincial and local IEC officials that were part of organising the Tlokwe by-elections of 2013 and 2016, who are in contempt of the highest court in the land and allowed this situation to prevail,” he concluded.

The IEC spokesperson, Kate Bapela says the Tlokwe by-elections were not the only ones to be postponed. The Electoral Commission decided to postpone all by-elections that were scheduled to take place in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West and the Western Cape yesterday.

“While the orders only related to Tlokwe, the IEC considered a postponement in the interest of free and fair elections, noting that all by-elections share similar circumstances as those ordered for a postponement by the court.” She added that the IEC would, therefore, request the relevant MECs to postpone these by-elections in terms of Section 8 of the Local Government: Municipal Electoral Act 2000.

“The IEC will communicate any further decisions to all stakeholders in due course,” she concluded.