AIC party consults lawyers over Matatiele by-election

THE African Independent Congress (AIC) was busy consulting its lawyers late yesterday to help the party prepare an objection to the outcome of a by-election in Matatiele.

AIC spokesman Mandla Galo said they approached the Independent Electoral Commission in Pretoria and filed a complaint after their party agents at a Matatiele voting station said that the presiding officer (PO) instructed the agents to leave the station at midday for a 30-minute lunchbreak against their will.

“On their return to the voting station, they realised that those who voted had more than doubled within 30 minutes. When they asked the PO how did that happen? They were ignored, as a result the ANC led with the biggest margin compared to five other voting stations,” Galo said.

“We approached the IEC in East London and reported the case. We were then referred to Pretoria where we were given until 5pm (yesterday) to file an objection to the outcomes of the vote. We are busy dealing with that,” Galo said.

“The Electoral Commission has been in contact with the African Independent Congress regarding concerns over the outcome of a by-election held on Wednesday.

However, a formal objection has not yet been received,” IEC spokeswoman Kate Bapela said. Ward 12 in Matatiele was one of three byelections held in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday.

Ward 15 in the Elundini municipality in Mount Fletcher – was uncontested. In Mbizana Municipality’s ward 26, the ANC’s Onesimo Nofemele won with 85% of the vote.

In the disputed ward 12 byelection in Matatiele, the ANC’s Jimmy Thabo Tshabalala secured 58% of the vote against AIC’s Katleho Molefe.

Galo claimed that in all other voting stations, Molefe had been leading.

“All of a sudden, after our party agents were instructed to take a break against their will, the results showed that the ANC was leading with a very big margin,” he said.

“We are going to lodge an objection and ask for another by-election because recounting is not going to assist in any way in this case,” Galo said.

The ANC refused to be dragged into any discussions which cast doubt on the credibility of election outcomes.

ANC provincial spokesman Oscar Mabuyane said they welcomed the results.