Councillor to stand for two parties

Bonita Elvira Hufkie is standing for two parties.

Bonita Elvira Hufkie is standing for two parties.

Published Apr 19, 2011

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Aspiring councillor Bonita Elvira Hufkie is to stand against herself in a Cape Town ward during the upcoming municipal elections.

Hufkie appears as the Ward 48 candidate for the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) as well as the National Party of South Africa.

Ward 48 covers Belgravia, Belgravia Estate, Crawford, Penlyn Estate and Rylands.

IEC manager for electoral matters Granville Abrahams confirmed that Hufkie was standing for two parties, but added that current legislation does not specifically allow candidates to stand for two parties.

“But because it doesn’t disallow it, it happens. It also looks very stupid for the candidate. But the ballots are going to stay the same. To change it (the Electoral Act), it will have to go through a legislative process and through Parliament.”

He said he was aware that Hufkie was standing for two parties. “There’s nothing in legislation preventing her. If you want to compete against yourself, we can’t stop you,” he said.

But Hufkie seems to have abandoned the PAC, which she represented at a by-election last year, and has put her weight fully behind the National Party, even though she will appear on the ballot paper as a candidate for both parties and could score votes for both.

The National Party of South Africa regrouped and reregistered as a political party in all levels of government in 2008 after the NP was dissolved under Marthinus van Schalkwyk.

In its 2009 manifesto, the party said it would re-instate the death penalty for convicted murderers, and called for the “chemical castration of convicted rapists” and for life imprisonment for drug bosses.

Asked to comment on her dilemma, Hufkie referred the Cape Times to NP spokesperson Sadanie Bullock. She also refused to have her picture taken.

“I’m not going to comment,” Hufkie said.

Bullock laid claim to Hufkie, saying she had resigned from the PAC. “Mr Anwar Adams (PAC provincial chair) must get his act together. Mr Adams should do his homework properly. Anwar got a letter of resignation. The NP unbanned Nelson Mandela, otherwise the country would’ve had a civil war. The PAC is no place for our coloured people,” Bullock said.

Adams dismissed Bullock’s statement that Hufkie had resigned from the PAC, but said the NP could have her.

“I think she finds it thrilling to contest against herself. But we’ll give her the benefit of the doubt. We won’t take steps against her. There will be interest in her scenario. We wish her luck whichever way, but she’s confused. She’s surrounded by people who influence her.” - Cape Times

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