Johannesburg - A municipal by-election in Ward four in Jozini has been postponed, the KwaZulu-Natal co-operative governance department said on Tuesday.
Spokesman Lennox Mabaso said the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) had detected some inaccuracies on the voters' roll which could lead to allegations of electoral fraud.
“The MEC [Nomusa Dube-Ncube] has received the request from the IEC and consented by publishing a notice in the government gazette today [Tuesday] to postpone the scheduled Jozini by-election until a new date is determined,” said Mabaso.
“We take every allegation of electoral fraud extremely seriously and we abide by the IEC's considered rulings in this regard. It is clear that the scheduled by-election at Jozini cannot proceed at this time,” said Dube-Ncube in a statement.
“...our role in municipal by-elections is to ensure that by-elections do take place in an environment that is conducive for free and fair elections.”
She said the IEC's decision to postpone the Jozini by-election was based on solid arguments.
“We are grateful for the thorough checks and balances that the IEC has in... [place] which has unearthed the potential inaccuracies with the voters' roll.”
The remaining by-elections scheduled for KwaZulu-Natal would proceed on Wednesday.
By-elections would be held in Ward 39 in eThekwini, Ward three in Vulamehlo, Ward four in Umtshezi, Ward 22 in Abaqulusi, and Ward four in Nongoma.
Sapa