The GOOD Party has turned to the Electoral Court hoping it will compel the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) to postpone the much-anticipated George by-elections that were expected to start on Wednesday.
Political parties were set to go head-to-head in by-elections on Wednesday and Thursday in three crucial wards – 16, 20 and 27, which became vacant in April.
GOOD filed an urgent application on Monday, also wanting the court to order that the IEC investigate allegations of fraud after it accused the DA of rigging votes by re-registering voters.
The IEC and the DA were among eight respondents in the papers.
In an affidavit seen by the Cape Times, GOOD secretary-general Brett Herron said on July 17 he inspected the voters roll in respect of ward 16, as directed by the party’s canvassers whose role it is to canvass for support in the coming by-elections.
“That voters roll contains the first name, the surname, the identity number and the address for the voter in question.
“When perusing the roll and arranging the roll by address, which is lengthy, I noticed that there were a large number of voters which were all apparently registered at the same address.
“It is apparent from that document that 188 voters are registered at that address.”
IEC spokesperson Kate Bapela said: “The Electoral Commission has received the objection from the GOOD political party and has responded to the party.
“The commission has also received a court application from the GOOD Party and will be opposing the matter.”
The IEC said the by-elections will continue until the court stop it, or set it aside.
DA provincial leader Tertuis Simmers said they remained steadfast and would not be distracted.
According to Simmers, they ran a robust and thorough campaign in the months leading up to Wednesday, leaving opposition parties “anxious and scrambling to find fault”.
“We suggest that GOOD and the ANC not waste any more of residents’ time and let us get back to business.
“There is work to be done to restore service delivery in these wards that has been waning under GOOD,” he said.
Cape Times