The Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court is expected to hear the case of an Electoral Commission (IEC) official charged with the contravention of the Electoral Act today.
IEC Area Manager in uMsunduzi, Musawenkosi Mnikathi, was arrested during the May 29 general elections.
Mnikathi is accused of moving voting materials without a police escort.
During his previous court appearance, the magistrate dismissed Mnikathi’s application to have this matter referred to the Electoral Court.
The State had indicated that this was a criminal matter which needed to be dealt with in a criminal court.
He was arrested after the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party opened a case on election day.
During Mnikathi’s first appearance last week, the party embarked on a march calling for new elections.
VIDEO|Court dismisses IEC area manager’s application:
Pietermaritzburg IEC official accused of contravening Electoral Act officially chargedhttps://t.co/aOqkfkBBJR
— uMkhonto WeSizwe Party (@MkhontoweSizwex) June 27, 2024
The National Freedom Party (NFP) says it might consider withdrawing from the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) in KwaZulu-Natal should the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) fail to nullify a sitting in which Michael Khumalo was elected as the new Mayor of the Zululand District.
The NFP says it was not consulted.
The mayoral position became vacant after former Mayor, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, was appointed as the province’s new Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) MEC under the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), led by the IFP.
The NFP, which has one seat in the provincial legislature, are kingmakers and should they pull out, there is a possibility that the GPU in KwaZulu-Natal could collapse.
NFP leader Irvin Barnes says, “IFP members are constantly continuing and moaning unity that we are trying to forge. I am here as a leader, as a council declared by the IEC. Now that IFP is not playing ball, they need to fix their house. So, whatever happened yesterday needs to be nullified and be corrected by the IFP. Remember, GPU is not about us as political leaders, it’s about the people that we are leading. But if this GPU led by the IFP comes at the expense of the NFP, we will be left with no other option to withdraw from it but that is the last option.”
Meanwhile, IFP President Velenkosini Hlabisa says there was never an agreement between the IFP and the NFP on local government matters.
He says the agreement was to give the NFP a MEC position at provincial level.
NFP Chairperson Mbali Shinga is now the province’s new MEC for Social Development under the provincial unity government.
Hlabisa says, “There was never an argument that the NFP will work with the IFP in exchange for the Mayor position in Zululand to be given to the NFP; there was no such agreement. IFP went to the extent that even if the NFP did not qualify to get the MEC in KZN, we decided let us give one position to the NFP in the provincial legislature of KwaZulu-Natal. That is what was agreed and we honoured it.”
There is a strong police presence around the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court as uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party members march to the court ahead of the appearance of an Electoral Commission (IEC) official today.
The official is believed to be appearing in connection with matters related to his conduct on election day.
MK Party members who are part of this protest also continue to claim that the election results were rigged.
Despite securing the most number of votes in the province, the MK Party failed to secure an outright majority.
IEC uMgungundlovu District Manager, Khulekani Mdadane says, “He (the official) was delivering the IEC material to the voting station without police escort. The case was opened by these MK members and he was then arrested and charged. We are yet to ascertain as to what are the charges.”
VIDEO | MK party members picket outside Pietermaritzburg court over IEC manager’s arrest:
Electoral Commission (IEC) regional manager in the Zululand District in KwaZulu-Natal, Mazwi Zungu, says he is confident they would have administered all special votes and home visits by 17:00 today.
Over 300 000 people have registered to cast their special votes in the province.
The Zululand District is one of the province’s deepest rural parts with poor road infrastructure prolonging the time of home visits. It comprises areas such as Ulundi, Nongoma, Abaqulusi, Pongola and Paulpietersburg.
The rural district is engulfed by a number of challenges such as poor road infrastructure and water.
Despite this, the IEC says day one of the special votes commenced without major interruptions.
There are over 20 000 people who have registered to cast their special votes at over 500 voting stations in this district.
The IEC’s Provincial Electoral Officer in KwaZulu-Natal, Ntombifuthi Masinga, has appealed to communities not to violate staff who will be administering special votes in various parts of the country today and tomorrow.
More than 1.6 million South Africans have registered for special votes. In KwaZulu-Natal, over 320 000 people have registered for special votes.
Voting stations will be open between 09:00 and 17:00 and at the same time home visits will be undertaken.
Only voters who were approved for special votes will be allowed to vote on these two days.
Masinga says, “In the province and in the country, there will be a lot of IEC officials that will be out in the field. We appeal to communities to protect them and keep them safe because we know that things can happen out there. So, we are saying to communities to be on the lookout for our staff that will be visiting people that will be visited at home.”
IEC commended
President Cyril Ramaphosa has lauded the IEC for its preparation for this year’s elections.
Ramaphosa says the country’s elections, since the dawn of democracy, have been defined by integrity.
He was addressing the nation last night as the over 27 million South Africans prepare to cast their votes from today until Wednesday.
The president says, “We commend the Independent Electoral Commission for the impressive work they have undertaken in preparation for these elections. We have once again witnessed the capabilities of the IEC in the successful voter registration weekends, in the registration of parties and candidates, in the preparation of ballot papers, in the organisation of overseas voting, and in the diligent application of our electoral laws. We convey our thanks to the IEC staff as they deliver on this most important responsibility in the coming days. One of the defining features of all our elections since 1994 has been their integrity.”
VIDEO| IEC briefs the media on readiness for special votes:
