By: Sello Theletsane
The ANC risks being ousted from power without a single vote being cast in the upcoming local government elections. That is according to the party’s Deputy Secretary-General Jessie Duarte.
This is due to the party having missed the deadline to register candidates in at least 90 municipalities. The ANC turned to the Electoral Court after the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) refused to extend the deadline for political parties to submit candidates.
“On the whole, 93 municipalities out of 257 are affected. Of these, the incomplete candidate’s list will have a significant impact in 35 municipalities, which will result in a change of government or change in the main opposition without a single vote being cast,” Duarte said in her affidavit.
“Firstly, in 13 municipalities, the ANC will be out of government without contesting and offering the voters the choice to vote for us, because we will not be in on the PR ballot because our candidates’ names were not submitted in time,” she added.
In a further six municipalities, the ANC will lose its status as the main opposition party without a single vote being cast. In nine municipalities, the ANC will lose its status as the governing party, without a vote being cast, due to insufficient ward candidates being entered on time, the court was told.
“This means that the outcome in certain municipalities has already been predetermined. As the largest political party, this prejudice to the ANC is manifest, and if the situation is not rectified, the election is not free and fair. In other words, if the timetable is not amended, the ANC and all other political parties will be subjected to an election that is not free and fair. For this reason, we seek to review and set aside the commission’s decision not to amend the election timetable,” Duarte said.
The ANC’s woes were attributed to the lockdown restrictions and the system used by the IEC, which the party claimed kept crushing. The party said the IEC was aware that political parties were experiencing technical difficulties in uploading and submitting their candidates’ lists.
“Despite being aware of this, the commission refused to extend the deadline at the ANC’s and the UDM’s behest. The commission’s refusal to do so, in light of the technical and other challenges, evidences that it was well aware that it would not be fulfilling its constitutional and statutory obligations to hold a free and fair election,” Duarte said.
It’s there own incompetence do not extend the due date!
You guys 👦in ANC though you can decide for us citizens no way late is late and fare is fare every other party had also issues with the Covid regulations but they register their candidates you guys were greedy for positions forgetting to register so just admit defeat no you guys rather want us to change for ANC who don’t give a damn of its people hibo voetsek your time are up ANC .