5 political newcomers lose Electoral Court bid to submit candidate lists beyond deadline
In a judgment handed down on Monday, the Electoral Court says the complainants are to blame for missing the set deadlines.
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CAPE TOWN - Five political newcomers have on Monday all lost a bid in the Electoral Court for more time to get their candidate lists submitted to the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and participate in next month’s polls.
In a judgment handed down on Monday, the Electoral Court says the complainants are to blame for missing the set deadlines.
The Labour Party of South Africa born out of the mineworkers union AMCU (Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union) is one of those whose application has been dismissed.
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The Electoral Court said there’s nothing unlawful about the Electoral Commission setting out an election timetable of deadlines for the submission of candidates by political parties, and the nomination of independent candidates.
The court added that non-compliance and the failure to meet the deadlines can’t be blamed on the IEC’s online system.
The four unrepresented, registered political parties include the Labour Party of South Africa, African Congress for Transformation, Afrikan Alliance of Social Democrats, All African Allied Congress and an independent candidate Sipho Malapane.
They all complained to the court that they had struggled to navigate the online system to upload information electronically by March 8th deadline.
However, said the court, the complainants left their submissions to the last minute - and the IEC should not be placed in a situation where it has to make ad hoc decisions about political parties and candidates who have not complied with the Electoral Act.