DA accuses ANC of attempting to intimidate and victimise the IEC

Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane has accused the ANC of attempting to intimidate and victimise the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)‚ an issue he says that requires urgent intervention.

Maimane charged on Sunday that in the wake of the ANC’s losses at the polls last month‚ the party’s latest paranoid strategy was to take aim at the IEC.

He said reports had revealed that the ruling party had launched an attack on the IEC‚ with intimidation and name calling being directed towards senior IEC members by the ruling party.

He added that while there still remained an impasse between the ANC and the IEC as the meeting ended with no resolution‚ the following issues‚ among others‚ were cause for grave concern:

- IEC vice-chairperson Terry Tselane‚ has publically stated he had been followed‚ photographed‚ and labelled as an “enemy” by some ANC stalwarts both before and after the August 3 polls;

- Senior IEC officials claim that there is a legitimate fear within the IEC that the ANC wants a “less independent IEC at its electoral fortunes decline”;

- ANC slammed the IEC for reducing the number of SADTU members from being electoral offices during the Local Government Elections. This angered the ruling party‚ as SADTU – the union which is single-handedly holding our education system to ransom – is ANC-aligned.

“In light of this‚ as Leader of the Opposition‚ I will be requesting a meeting with the senior leadership of the IEC‚ in order to address these threats‚ and to map a way forward to ensure the IEC remains independent and protected from malicious political interference‚” Maimane stated.

He added: “The ANC’s first real taste of defeat came last month‚ where the party lost control of several metros across the country. These bullying tactics are a plain attempt to exert more pressure and control over the IEC‚ and intimidate IEC officials. This must be resisted.

“The IEC is crucial to our democracy‚ and is one of the most sacred Chapter 9 institutions. If the IEC goes‚ our democracy goes. Therefore‚ its independence must be safeguarded at all costs.”