IEC says no truth to EFF claims it is prioritising hiring of SADTU members
This week, EFF leader Julius Malema, said it was policy of the IEC to ensure most of the election officers are SADTU members.
JOHANNESBURG - The Electoral Commission (IEC) says there is no basis of truth to the allegations by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) that it prioritises hiring members from the teacher union, SADTU.
This week, EFF leader Julius Malema, said it was policy of the IEC to ensure most of the election officers are SADTU members.
The South African Democratic Teachers Union is an affiliate to the COSATU federation, which is in a tripartite alliance with the African National Congress (ANC).
The IEC addressed these allegations during a media briefing on Wednesday at its Centurion headquarters.
The Electoral Commission said it had trained and hired 70,000 election officers for the upcoming registration weekend.
The commission said that just over 50,000 of that staff was previously unemployed.
Chief electoral officer, Sy Mamabolo, said that recruitment and selection criteria of electoral staff were formulated and agreed on by all political parties, including the EFF.
"If any political party has a grievance against any person on those lists, they could raise an objection and if a meritorious objection is raised, those people are removed."
SADTU has released a statement condemning the EFF for suggesting its members were unduly influencing democratic election processes.
