Political parties slam IEC 'double standards’
Some political parties contesting this year's local government elections have raised some concerns and offered criticisms ahead of the polls.
Party representatives on Friday morning signed the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) code of conduct at a ceremony in Johannesburg.
The African Christian Democratic Party's (ACDP) Wayne Thring says they have an issue with the vote capturing process.
"It is the view of the ACDP that the elections will not be considered free and fair when after tallying the ballots is done the results is mailed to the door of voting stations but when those ballot boxes leave for the IEC depots for capturing, there is no independent monitoring agents to vet the capturing process. This must change."
The Democratic Alliance's (DA) John Steenhuisen took aim at the EFF and IEC, saying there were double standards in the treatment of different parties during campaigning under Covid restrictions.
"If the IEC favours some political parties over the others by allowing them to break these rules, then the IEC is failing in its fundamental role to ensure free and fair elections.
"The EFF, who are noticeably absent this morning, are clearly spending far more money than they would be able to do without large donations. Yet they have failed to disclose a single one of these donations.
"Let me be very clear that we will not hesitate to call the IEC out when it fails the independence test."
The African National Congress' (ANC) Paul Mashatile promised there will be zero tolerance of violence and corruption.
"We make it crystal clear that the ANC will not tolerate any bridges to the code and that any ANC member that contravenes the provisions will be dealt with by both the criminal justice system and the ANC disciplinary processes."
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