By: ANG Reporter
Patricia de Lille’s GOOD party last night submitted what it called “shocking evidence of DA voter registration fraud” in George to the Independent Electoral Commission.
GOOD secretary general Brett Herron said the evidence included a list of names of residents of Thembalethu, where there is no by-election, who have been fraudulently re-registered as residents of Borcherds, where one of three George by-elections is scheduled for this week.
“The people named on the list have never lived in Ward 20 (Borcherds) and don’t qualify to vote in the ward. The list includes their real addresses and ID numbers,” said Herron.
He said also submitted to the IEC were affidavits signed by the DA canvassers who re-registered the Thembalethu voters. “According to the canvassers they acted under instruction and the fraud only become apparent to them after the re-registrations had been completed.”
“In their affidavits the canvassers described their modus operandi as re-registering Thembalethu voters as residents of an informal settlement within the Borcherds ward boundary.”
“We have reason to believe the fraud extended across all three of the contested wards,” Herron said.
He added that the submission to the IEC contained “more than sufficient prima facie evidence to warrant the Commission postponing the George by-elections while conducting a thorough audit of new registrations”.
Herron said the IEC’s Chief Electoral Officer had confirmed receipt of GOOD’s complaint and supporting affidavits, “and has referred the matter to the Commissioners whose primary obligation is to ensure that elections are conducted freely and fairly”.
“Should the IEC fail to take urgent action, GOOD will approach the Electoral Court, Herron threatened.
“The core principle of democracy is that legitimate voters get to elect the representative of their choice through a free and fair process.”
“Rigging elections by fraudulently registering voters who don’t qualify to vote subverts this principle and disregards the will of the people.”
“The DA has been caught with its pants down manipulating the voter’s roll. It is a desperate act; the ultimate crime of political contestation.”
Herron said if the allegations were substantiated, then the Municipal Electoral Act “empowers the Electoral Court to impose an appropriate sanction, in the interest of a free and fair election, including an order cancelling the registration of the political party”.
