IEC chair wins election reprieve

Chairperson of the IEC Pansy Tlakula File photo: Etienne Creux

Chairperson of the IEC Pansy Tlakula File photo: Etienne Creux

Published May 2, 2014

Share

Johannesburg - The investigation into IEC chairwoman Pansy Tlakula's fitness to hold office was postponed in the Electoral Court sitting in the High Court in Johannesburg on Friday.

Judge Lotter Wepener said the court would not be able to make a recommendation by 5pm on Tuesday.

“The investigation should be postponed to the week of the second of June,” he said.

Parties had to submit their final heads of argument by May 28.

He said the court took into consideration that it was a Friday afternoon and Tlakula's lawyer had not made his submissions yet.

Daniel Berger SC, for Tlakula, earlier asked for more time if the court realised it would not be able to make a recommendation by the May 7 national elections.

The court held an investigation into Tlakula's conduct after an application by some opposition parties to have Tlakula resign ahead of the polls.

The parties are the United Democratic Movement, the African Christian Democratic Party, the Congress of the People, Agang SA, and the Economic Freedom Fighters. Tlakula was not in court on Friday.

The parties want Tlakula to resign, arguing that her integrity has been compromised.

Their application follows a forensic investigation by the National Treasury on the procurement of the Electoral Commission of SA's (IEC) Riverside Office Park building in Centurion, Pretoria.

The probe found the process was neither fair, transparent, nor cost-effective. It found Tlakula did not give guidance or formally inform various people what was expected of them in the process.

Tlakula has maintained she was not accused of corruption in the report.

The Treasury's report followed a recommendation by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela in her own report into the matter, released in August last year.

Sapa

Related Topics: