Parliament - Controversial Electoral Commission of SA (IEC)’s former chief electoral officer, Mosotho Moepya could be back at the organisation after Parliament recommended him and two others as suitable candidates for commissioner vacancies.
Moepya left his top position at the IEC last year after he chose not to renew his contract.
Parliament’s portfolio committee on home affairs on Tuesday recommended that Moepya, Dhayanithie Pillay and Nomsa Praisy Masuku fill the IEC’s three commissioner vacancies.
Committee chairperson Hlomani Chauke said: “The decision today was taken following a process of public comments on the list, as provided by a panel led by the Chief Justice as per Section 6 (3) of the Electoral Commission Act. Currently, there is one vacancy on the IEC and two vacancies will arise at the end of November.
“The committee will recommend to the National Assembly that these three South Africans are fit and proper to serve as commissioners on the IEC, an important institution of South Africa’s democratic life,” said Chauke.
Moepya was shortlisted as one of the eight candidates to fill three commissioner vacancies at the IEC, by a panel chaired by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng. The panel handed over the names to Parliament.
In a 2013 report, former public protector Thuli Madonsela urged the IEC to consider disciplinary action against Moepya and two other officials over their role in the irregular leasing of its Centurion headquarters.
Madonsela found that the R320 million lease of the Riverside Office Park from property company Abland “violated procurement rules”.
Moepya has since contested Madonsela’s finding, and pleaded innocence.
If adopted, the three names will be sent to President Cyril Ramaphosa for appointment before December.