Johannesburg – The ability of the Independent Electoral Commission of SA to run and manage free and fair elections would be tested during the upcoming 2016 local government polls, IEC chairman Glen Mashinini said on Thursday.
“This is indeed a litmus test for us as every election has been. Once more, our ability to manage free, fair elections with integrity, professionalism and efficiency will be tested in the 2016 Municipal Elections,” Mashinini said at the organisation’s launch of the local government elections in Johannesburg.
“We will be tested again in by-elections next week and again next month, including in Tlokwe, Abaqulusi, Oudtshoorn and many other upcoming by-elections.”
The ability of the IEC to hold credible, free and fair elections has been questioned in recent months after a Constitutional Court ruling last year that set aside the results of Tlokwe by-elections in the North West due to irregularities.
The appeal was lodged by a group of former ANC councillors who were unsuccessful candidates in the wards in which they had stood for election.
They sought an order setting aside the by-election results in eight wards relying on the irregularities that emerged from the IEC’s own investigation.
The court ordered the IEC to conduct fresh by-elections. It further instructed the IEC to verify physical addresses of those on the voters’ roll for future elections.
Mashinini said the IEC did not build its reputation for excellence, integrity and credibility in one single electoral event of 1994.
“It started that journey in 1994 and continued upon that success in each and every subsequent election in 1999, in 2000, in 2004, in 2006, in 2011 and in the recent 2014 elections, as well as in the hundreds of by-elections which have been held every year,” he said.
“The Commission is seized with making sure that we leave no stone unturned as we prepare to meet this challenge.”
Plans were in place to mitigate risks and problems that could be encountered. These problems included issues emanating from the Municipal Demarcation Board processes, said Mashinini.
“There are challenges regarding the acceptance of the final outcome of the Municipal Demarcation Board process by all communities and stakeholders. As we know, this process has only very recently been concluded and there are areas that are still to respond and in some instances there are matters before our courts.”
The municipal demarcation could have an impact on registration and voting activities in the affected areas, he said.
Other concerns were the continuing service delivery protests which Mashinini said had previously sought to disrupt voter registration and elections to draw attention to protesters’ grievances.
“The other challenge is voting district stacking, commonly known as ‘bussing in’ of voters. This is not something unique to South Africa. In fact, it is a phenomenon as old as elections…unfortunately, there will always be those who seek to unfairly influence the outcome of elections.”
“It is our responsibility as stakeholders to remain ever vigilant in ensuring that manipulation of the voting outcomes are detected and prevented.”
Turning to eligible voters, Mashinini said there were 289 000 registered voters aged 18 and 19, out of an eligible population of approximately 2 million.
“Of the approximately 9 million eligible voters who are not currently registered, over 6.2 million of them are under the age of 30. Those are the people who are outside of the net.”
“The good news, however, is that when it comes to youth participation, our voting statistics show that once young people are registered they have higher turnout levels than any other groups.”
The IEC budget for the upcoming elections totalled R1,5 billion.
