Johannesburg - The National Freedom Party (NFP) on Tuesday blamed its national treasurer for the financial blunder that made the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) disqualify the party from the August 3 local government elections.
IEC KwaZulu-Natal electoral officer Mawethu Mosery had announced on Tuesday that the NFP, together with 2 000 other candidates, would not contest the upcoming local government elections after the party failed to pay the registration fee of around R92 000 by June 2.
“The NFP is disqualified,” KwaZulu-Natal electoral chief Mawethu Mosery confirmed.
“Some parties did not pay at all while others paid post the date, which was June 2. The NFP falls under this category, they didn’t pay before the deadline. Their registration fee came in much later,” Mosery said.
Speaking on UkhoziFM’s current affairs on Monday evening, NFP general secretary Nhlanhla Khubisa said the party’s treasurer misunderstood the deadline for paying the registration.
Khubisa said when the registration fee was paid, the IEC told them it was too late but advised the party to take the matter to the electoral court.
“This matter is now with the electoral court. When we discovered that out treasurer missed the deadline to deposit the money, we went to the IEC and the IEC said the matter was beyond its powers. They then referred us to the electoral court,” Khubisa said.
The NFP’s treasurer is Xolani Ndlovu.
NFP leader and Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Zanele KaMagwaza-Msibi, made her first major public address in 17 months when the party launched its manifesto at the Cecil Emmet Stadium in Vryheid in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Magwaza-Msibi, who had been recovering from home since suffering a major stroke that left her in a coma for days in November 2014, could not read the manifesto launch speech and her daughter read it on her behalf.
Khubisa said since the dispute between the party and the IEC was an ongoing matter, the party’s lawyers would be engaging the electoral court on Wednesday.
Khubisa moved to encourage the party’s supporters not to lose hope and dismissed suggestions that the NFP might be struggling with money.
African News Agency