No chance of a free poll
THE ANNOUNCEMENT by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng that the local government elections will go ahead on August 3 despite the lack of 8 million addresses from the voters’ roll, is cause for alarm.
This is particularly so when one reviews negative reports about the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) over the past few years that, among others, show the ANC’s support of Pansy Tlakula, who faced damning findings against her by the public protector.
Former IEC chairwoman Brigalia Bam admitted in a report (Cape Argus, March 4, 2011) that there was “no foolproof way of guarding against parties bringing supporters to register and vote in other wards for the local government elections”.
In the same report, IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi alleged that: “We operate in an environment in which the majority party (ANC) buses people into areas where they do not hold popular support and registers them to vote there – in order to assure a fraudulent victory.”
In 2011, Tlakula said no guarantee could be given that party observers would be allowed into homes while special votes were being cast.
Does this still apply for the 2016 elections? Also, “for those who would not be in their wards on election day, the IEC would open polling stations a day or two in advance”.
Both these statements require unequivocal responses from the IEC, as both these statements or acts could encourage potential fraud or vote rigging.
The fact that many voters were “dismayed” to discover their addresses had been omitted from the voters roll when they went to the designated registration areas, is cause for concern.
More so when they had filled in forms and going once again to check that their name and address had, in fact, been registered, only to discover it was missing.
Who is to say that on August 3 we will find our addresses omitted – this, after voting for many decades without any qualms or hitches?
This clearly would be a sure way to win an election.
These elections should be postponed, as they cannot, by any stretch of the imagination, be deemed to be “free and fair”... It is surprising that there has not been an outcry from opposition parties and independents regarding this travesty of fairness and freedom.
The wool has been pulled over the electorate’s eyes – they no longer see and recognise the shenanigans that have been performed before them.
Last, the number of independents standing in these elections is quite extraordinary. Can it be that these are “dummy” politicians, used by established parties to raise a “kingmaker” if in need?
Have these “politicians” paid their deposits to the IEC, the deposit which is a fair amount of money to someone who is struggling? Perhaps someone can enlighten us.
To expect South Africans to accept that the elections are “free and fair” is ridiculous and a fantasy of the IEC. To expect that the outcome of the elections will lead to disruptions of the worst kind is already a foregone conclusion, as they are unlawful and have been branded as such by the chief justice.
People should realise that one cannot justify an illegal act of going from one voting station to another in a different area to cast votes to enable a particular party to win an election. M RIORDAN-BULL Kleinmond