/ 9 April 2019

IEC upholds one list objection — against PAC candidate

The IEC announced on Tuesday that only one of the 52 objections
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has urged eligible citizens to make use of its online registration platform to minimise long queues . (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has dismissed all of the 29 objections made by the general public against ANC candidates after the lists were opened to scrutiny two weeks ago.

The IEC announced on Tuesday that only one of the 52 objections — spanning 10 political parties including the ANC, Democratic Alliance, Black First Land First, Economic Freedom Fighters, African Christian Democratic Party and the Pan African Congress — was upheld.

The ANC in particular has faced severe criticism over the presence of certain individuals on its list who were implicated in allegations of corruption and state capture.

The party in a special national executive committee meeting last week heard that ordinary South Africans had raised concerns over the inclusion of dubious individuals on the list. The governing party took a decision to refer the list to its integrity commission for the body to scrutinise it.

This is a separate process from that of the IEC.

It is unclear whether the integrity commission would conclude its work by May 8, but Fikile Mbalula — the party’s election head — said on Monday that the lists may still change.

READ MORE: It’s not too late, ANC lists will be cleaned: Mbalula

The highest number of objections — 29 in total — received by the IEC were raised against ANC, with the second highest number being against Black First Land First with 19 objections. The IEC received 13 objections against the EFF list and four each against the DA and the Land Party and 1 against the ACDP.

“After deliberating, the commission resolved to uphold one objection by the PAC against its own candidate, Mr Seropane Alton Senyane Mphethi. He was disqualified from holding elected office to the National Assembly or a provincial legislature.

“This candidate was sentenced on 7 June 2016 to 18 months’ imprisonment without the option of a fine,” the IEC said.

“The commission dismissed all other objections for failing to meet the constitutional and statutory criteria.”

“The majority of these objections related to unproven allegations,” the commission said.

IEC chairman Glen Mashinini said the commission could only act within the prescripts of the law and the Constitution. Those who brought objections still have an opportunity to appeal the commission’s decision to the electoral court.