IEC APPROACHES CONCOURT TO APPEAL RULING ON ZUMA
The Electoral Commission of
South Africa (IEC) has approached the Constitutional Court on an urgent basis to appeal the decision of the Electoral Court, which has made it possible for former president Jacob Zuma to run for elections.
The IEC has submitted that the former president was convicted of an offence and sentenced to 15 months in prison and is, therefore, not eligible to stand for an election to the National Assembly until five years after completing his sentence.
“The commission believes there is substantial public interest in providing certainty on the proper interpretation of section 47(1)(e) and its interplay with the powers of the commission to adjudicate objections to candidates,
“Such clarity is important in the present matter because of a live issue but also for future elections,” said the IEC.
It said the appeal was not intended to involve itself in politics
Former president Jacob Zuma. and wanted the matter resolved “before the date of the elections”.
The IEC is yet to receive the Electoral Court’s reasons for its Tuesday order in favour of Zuma.
“We have noted that the orders were issued without reasoned judgment. In order to understand the basis of the conclusions reached in both matters, it is important that reasons are provided. We will accordingly request the Electoral Court to hand down reasons for the orders made,” said the IEC on Tuesday.
“Naturally the commission is taking legal advice on the matters and will chart a way forward based on such advice as well as reasoned judgments that it may receive, hopefully, in the not-too-distant future.”
Speaking outside the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Thursday, Zuma took aim at the IEC, suggesting they had overeached their mandate.
“Where does IEC enter into politics? Their job is to help citizens vote. Who the next president of the nation is is none of their business. They saw my name and now they are saying Zuma will never go there,” the former president continued.
Meanwhile, Freedom Under Law (FUL) has called on the Electoral Court to furnish South Africans with the reasons for granting Zuma’s appeal against the IEC’s decision to bar him from running for elections.
Breaking down the threeballot paper system
If you vote at the voting station where you are registered, you will receive three ballots and not just two as in the past elections. These are made up of:
Ballot 1: National ballot to vote for a political party to represent you in the National Assembly.
Ballot 2: Regional ballot is a new ballot to vote for political parties or independent candidates contesting in that region (province) for elections to the National Assembly.
Ballot 3: Provincial ballot to vote for political parties or independent candidates contesting elections of the provincial legislature in that province.
“The change has come because of the electoral amendment act that provides for the inclusion of independent candidates to run for office as a member of parliament in the national assembly,” said the statement.
The new voting system has brought about more anxieties for some first-time voters in the country.
Sibongakonke Myeni, a 22-year-old first-time voter, said that he is a bit overwhelmed by the upcoming elections.
“I feel like a lot is expected from us as the youth of the country and people don’t realise how stressful and how big of a decision it is to vote for the right party. On top of that there are different ballot sheets and documents that you need to have when you are going to vote. It’s just a lot,” said Myeni.
Myeni said, nonetheless, he is excited about the elections.