An apparent R90‚000 “administrative error” could cost the National Freedom Party (NFP) a shot at the August 3 municipal polls.
Failure to participate in the elections would be an ironic twist for a party that made its electoral debut at the last municipal elections in 2011.
The NFP was formed when senior party leaders‚ led by Zanele Magwaza-Msibi‚ broke away from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) on the eve of the 2011 local government elections.
Announcing the number of parties and candidates contesting the August 3 election‚ the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) on Wednesday said this NFP court matter‚ among other things‚ could see the number change. So far 200 political parties and 61‚014 candidates are contesting.
“The electoral commission is aware of at least one party which has approached the Electoral Court to overturn its disqualification for non-payment‚” IEC chief electoral officer Mosotho Moepya told reporters in Pretoria. “The court process is outside of the control of the electoral commission.”
However‚ the resolution of final candidate and party lists needs to happen urgently as the printing of ballot papers commences on July 4.
Moepya said at this stage the NFP was not on the list of parties cont
Moepya said at this stage the NFP was not on the list of parties contesting the elections
On Tuesday‚ KwaZulu-Natal IEC head Mawethu Mosery announced that the NFP would be barred from taking part in the poll‚ as it had failed to pay the R90‚000 deposit that is a prerequisite for participation.
NFP party leaders blame this on oversight or an administrative error and they are pleading with the Election Court to reconsider its position.
But others within the party see this move as yet another plot to embarrass Magwaza-Msibi‚ who is recovering from a devastating stroke she suffered more than two-and-a-half years ago.
Magwaza-Msibi was seen for the first time two weeks ago when the party launched its manifesto in Vryheid. She could not even read her own speech.
Her daughter had to read the speech in which Magwaza-Msibi launched an attack on party executives‚ whom she accused of working behind her back to oust her.
Just four months after its formation‚ the NFP polled 644‚917 votes in the 2011 local government elections. This gave it more than 200 councillors and allowed it to forge a coalition deal with the ANC in 19 hung municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal.
The NFP’s outgoing councilor in eThekwini Municipality Wiseman Mcoyi said this week that thousands of people would be left without a political home should the party’s symbol not be on the ballot papers.
Mcoyi himself was suspended by the NFP’s national executive committee and was reinstated only after he approached the Durban High Court to set aside his suspension.
“Apart from hundreds of councillors who will now have to sit back and watch the elections from the sidelines‚ there are hundreds of other people‚ like municipal managers‚ administrators‚ clerks and others who accessed their positions in municipalities due to their association with the NFP. Now they will face the chop as new councils would want to hire their own people.”
Mcoyi said a clique within the party had hijacked it for its own purposes. He said party faithfuls he has spoken to have been angered to hear the news of the party’s likely non-participation in the municipal polls.
“Many people have lost everything‚ but they decided to stick with the party and now they get this betrayal‚” said Mcoyi.
The NFP’s KwaZulu-Natal provincial spokesman Sabelo Sigudu said the party was still hopeful that the IEC would reverse its decision.
University of KwaZulu-Natal senior political lecturer Zakhele Ndlovu said the deregistration fiasco brought into focus factionalism within the NFP.
“It is clear that there are some people within the party who are using KaMagwaza-Msibi’s illness to position themselves for leadership roles that does not include her. Unfortunately she cannot do anything to stop them as she is struggling to recover from her illness‚” he said.
Ndlovu also said other parties — especially the IFP and the ANC — stand to profit from the current confusion within the NFP.
“I don’t see the DA picking up many former NFP supporters. But all in all‚ many votes are up for grabs. The landscape of the municipalities‚ especially in KwaZulu-Natal‚ will change dramatically after the local government poll” Mr Ndlovu said.
TMG Digital/BDlive
NFP takes election disqualification to court
An apparent R90‚000 “administrative error” could cost the National Freedom Party (NFP) a shot at the August 3 municipal polls.
Failure to participate in the elections would be an ironic twist for a party that made its electoral debut at the last municipal elections in 2011.
The NFP was formed when senior party leaders‚ led by Zanele Magwaza-Msibi‚ broke away from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) on the eve of the 2011 local government elections.
Announcing the number of parties and candidates contesting the August 3 election‚ the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) on Wednesday said this NFP court matter‚ among other things‚ could see the number change. So far 200 political parties and 61‚014 candidates are contesting.
“The electoral commission is aware of at least one party which has approached the Electoral Court to overturn its disqualification for non-payment‚” IEC chief electoral officer Mosotho Moepya told reporters in Pretoria. “The court process is outside of the control of the electoral commission.”
However‚ the resolution of final candidate and party lists needs to happen urgently as the printing of ballot papers commences on July 4.
Moepya said at this stage the NFP was not on the list of parties cont
Moepya said at this stage the NFP was not on the list of parties contesting the elections
On Tuesday‚ KwaZulu-Natal IEC head Mawethu Mosery announced that the NFP would be barred from taking part in the poll‚ as it had failed to pay the R90‚000 deposit that is a prerequisite for participation.
NFP party leaders blame this on oversight or an administrative error and they are pleading with the Election Court to reconsider its position.
But others within the party see this move as yet another plot to embarrass Magwaza-Msibi‚ who is recovering from a devastating stroke she suffered more than two-and-a-half years ago.
Magwaza-Msibi was seen for the first time two weeks ago when the party launched its manifesto in Vryheid. She could not even read her own speech.
Her daughter had to read the speech in which Magwaza-Msibi launched an attack on party executives‚ whom she accused of working behind her back to oust her.
Just four months after its formation‚ the NFP polled 644‚917 votes in the 2011 local government elections. This gave it more than 200 councillors and allowed it to forge a coalition deal with the ANC in 19 hung municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal.
The NFP’s outgoing councilor in eThekwini Municipality Wiseman Mcoyi said this week that thousands of people would be left without a political home should the party’s symbol not be on the ballot papers.
Mcoyi himself was suspended by the NFP’s national executive committee and was reinstated only after he approached the Durban High Court to set aside his suspension.
“Apart from hundreds of councillors who will now have to sit back and watch the elections from the sidelines‚ there are hundreds of other people‚ like municipal managers‚ administrators‚ clerks and others who accessed their positions in municipalities due to their association with the NFP. Now they will face the chop as new councils would want to hire their own people.”
Mcoyi said a clique within the party had hijacked it for its own purposes. He said party faithfuls he has spoken to have been angered to hear the news of the party’s likely non-participation in the municipal polls.
“Many people have lost everything‚ but they decided to stick with the party and now they get this betrayal‚” said Mcoyi.
The NFP’s KwaZulu-Natal provincial spokesman Sabelo Sigudu said the party was still hopeful that the IEC would reverse its decision.
University of KwaZulu-Natal senior political lecturer Zakhele Ndlovu said the deregistration fiasco brought into focus factionalism within the NFP.
“It is clear that there are some people within the party who are using KaMagwaza-Msibi’s illness to position themselves for leadership roles that does not include her. Unfortunately she cannot do anything to stop them as she is struggling to recover from her illness‚” he said.
Ndlovu also said other parties — especially the IFP and the ANC — stand to profit from the current confusion within the NFP.
“I don’t see the DA picking up many former NFP supporters. But all in all‚ many votes are up for grabs. The landscape of the municipalities‚ especially in KwaZulu-Natal‚ will change dramatically after the local government poll” Mr Ndlovu said.
TMG Digital/BDlive
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