Johannesburg – Everything was in place to re-run the Tlokwe by-elections in the North West in February, the Independent Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) said on Thursday.
“We have had registrations in Tlokwe, we are ready to hold elections. I was in Tlokwe yesterday and all political parties are satisfied with the measures we had put in place to make sure that only people who are supposed to be voting in those wards register and vote,” said deputy chairman Terry Tselane.
The IEC held a IEC seminar on the enforcement of the electoral code of conduct that included political parties, the SA police and the National Prosecuting Autority, as well as civil society organisations.
Tselane warned political parties and the media against making unsubstantiated allegations against the IEC, which could affect views about the integrity of the organisation.
“People misinterpret court judgements and paint this organisation as if it is rigging elections. It is wrong for people to say we are doing that, because in the case of Tlokwe, the judgement did not find that IEC rigged the by-elections.”
He said the Constitutional Court had made three findings against the IEC.
“The judges found that we handed the voters roll late to political parties, that the voters roll did not have voters’ addresses and that some of those on that roll were not residents of those particular wards,” said Tselane.
The voters roll matter had since been rectified, said Tselane.
The results of the 2013 by-elections in seven wards in Tlokwe were set aside following a lengthy legal process through the Election Court and later the Constitutional Court.
The Court found irregularities in the voters’ roll for the by-elections. The irregularities included voters from adjoining wards who had incorrectly registered for the by-elections and the fact that the electoral commission had not made available a voters’ roll with addresses to contending candidates.
The IEC voter registration weekend for this year’s local government elections will be held on March 5 and 6.
The cooperative governance and traditional affairs ministry is yet to announce the election date.
African News Agency
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