The Congress of the People says it is saddened by the Independent Electoral Commission’s handling of by-elections in the Tlokwe Municipality in 2013.
The party made the statement on Monday soon after the Constitutional Court declared that by-2013 elections held in seven wards of the Tlokwe municipality were not free and fair.
In a statement COPE said the “objectivity and impartiality of the IEC have come seriously into question”.
It said the IEC conducted an election without finalising the voters’ roll and without issuing segments of the national voters’ roll to candidates.
The Times reported earlier: “The case was brought by eight unsuccessful candidates‚ who had complained about voter registration processes including a delay in receiving the segments of the national voters’ roll which did not include residential addresses for any of the voters‚ rendering it difficult‚ if not impossible‚ for candidates to find‚ visit and canvass voters. They had initially complained to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and the Electoral Court‚ without success.”
The independent candidates were fired by the African National Congress (ANC) after they joined hands with opposition parties in 2012 to remove then ANC mayor Maphetle Maphetle.
“That was a serious breach of the IEC’s statutory obligations‚” the Constitutional Court found. “Without voters’ addresses‚ the ability of candidates to canvass voters was significantly impaired.”
The court ruled that the Electoral Commission is obliged by the Electoral Act to provide all candidates in municipal elections with a copy of the relevant segment of the national voters’ roll.
Cope said in its statement: “The Constitutional Court‚ in setting aside the result of the by-elections has given South Africa a great Christmas gift. Henceforth‚ irregularity in its own right is enough to invalidate any election. A defective voters’ roll must never again find acceptance from any quarter and least of all from the IEC.
“The fact that the IEC first denied and then accepted that 1040 people had registered illegally to vote‚ indicates a serious failure on its part.”
The party said it was considering opening fraud and corruption charges against the IEC officials who were involved in the irregularities.
Cope questions impartiality of IEC
The Congress of the People says it is saddened by the Independent Electoral Commission’s handling of by-elections in the Tlokwe Municipality in 2013.
The party made the statement on Monday soon after the Constitutional Court declared that by-2013 elections held in seven wards of the Tlokwe municipality were not free and fair.
In a statement COPE said the “objectivity and impartiality of the IEC have come seriously into question”.
It said the IEC conducted an election without finalising the voters’ roll and without issuing segments of the national voters’ roll to candidates.
The Times reported earlier: “The case was brought by eight unsuccessful candidates‚ who had complained about voter registration processes including a delay in receiving the segments of the national voters’ roll which did not include residential addresses for any of the voters‚ rendering it difficult‚ if not impossible‚ for candidates to find‚ visit and canvass voters. They had initially complained to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and the Electoral Court‚ without success.”
The independent candidates were fired by the African National Congress (ANC) after they joined hands with opposition parties in 2012 to remove then ANC mayor Maphetle Maphetle.
“That was a serious breach of the IEC’s statutory obligations‚” the Constitutional Court found. “Without voters’ addresses‚ the ability of candidates to canvass voters was significantly impaired.”
The court ruled that the Electoral Commission is obliged by the Electoral Act to provide all candidates in municipal elections with a copy of the relevant segment of the national voters’ roll.
Cope said in its statement: “The Constitutional Court‚ in setting aside the result of the by-elections has given South Africa a great Christmas gift. Henceforth‚ irregularity in its own right is enough to invalidate any election. A defective voters’ roll must never again find acceptance from any quarter and least of all from the IEC.
“The fact that the IEC first denied and then accepted that 1040 people had registered illegally to vote‚ indicates a serious failure on its part.”
The party said it was considering opening fraud and corruption charges against the IEC officials who were involved in the irregularities.
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