Parties seeking to contest elections shouldn't be surprised by ballot paper requirements - IEC
Over 10 political parties, mostly newcomers, have lodged several complaints to the commission about the electoral process, and asked it for an urgent meeting.
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JOHANNESBURG - The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has compared the election timetable to an unstoppable moving train, saying none of those seeking to contest the elections should be surprised by the requirements needed to make it onto the ballot paper.
Over 10 political parties, mostly newcomers, wrote to the commission asking it for an urgent meeting.
The organisations – including RISE Mzansi, Build One South Africa, the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, and the African Congress for Transformation - raised a series of issues with the electoral process.
Some of the complaints raised by the parties include the election timetable, challenges around signature requirements, as well as the deadlines for both candidate lists and payment of the registration fee.
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A frantic attempt by several new political parties, along with the United Democratic Movement and African Transformation Movement, to influence the IEC ahead of its media briefing on Monday had little to no impact as things stand.
They took issues with some of the deadlines and claimed instructions on the way forward were confusing.
The commission’s Dr Nomsa Masuku explained that once a date is proclaimed, processes towards the elections begin to fall into place.
“I don’t think it's an excuse to say the election timetable has caught people by surprise. It shouldn’t have caught people by surprise.”
RISE Mzansi's Makashule Gana said as new parties, they also wanted to be consulted the same way that the IEC did with those in the Party Liaison Committee.