IEC extends ConCourt ruling to 32 other parties

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has extended the effect of a Constitutional Court order on the ANC’s candidate nominations to 32 other political parties, saying it would be unfair to exclude parties in similar circumstances.

IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya said on Friday the commission had resolved to treat the parties similarly to the ANC after the apex court ordered the inclusion of 181 ANC candidates in the November 4 local government elections .

The ruling affects 51 ward candidates and 130 proportional representation candidates across six municipalities.

Moepya said the 32 other parties had nominated compliant candidates and paid their election deposits but had not submitted their final candidate lists by the deadline.

“These 32 other political parties intended to contest in 121 local municipalities across the nation,” he said.

“Consistent with the constitutional imperative for free and fair elections, as well as the importance of upholding the inherent principle of parity of treatment, the commission has resolved that the 32 similarly situated parties must be deemed to have lawfully submitted their candidates.”

The IEC found that 13 other parties had failed to meet the requirements for lawful candidate submissions, even after the commission extended the effect of the court order to similarly situated parties.

Moepya said the outstanding requirements included payment of election deposits and registration on the voters’ roll in the municipalities where they intended to contest.

The extension of the order affects 107 municipalities and means 33-million ballots must be produced to accommodate the additional candidates.

Of the total required, 27-million ballots had already been printed, while 6.6-million were yet to be printed.

The commission had held back printing ballots for the six municipalities affected by the ANC’s court application until the Constitutional Court ruled on the matter.

“No costs were incurred in relation to ballots affecting the six municipalities that were before the court,” Moepya said.

The IEC will contact the 32 parties to confirm whether they still intend to contest the November 4 elections.

Those wishing to participate will be given an opportunity to comply with candidate nomination requirements and, where necessary, supplement or substitute names on multiple lists. Candidate certificates will then be issued.