INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS
File photo: Thobeka Zazi Ndabula
Durban – The eThekwini Municipality’s ward 39 by-election, scheduled to take place in KwaMashu on Wednesday, has been postponed indefinitely by the Independent Electoral Commission, following voter registration irregularities.
The ward used to be represented by IFP councillor Sakhiwe Ngcamu, who resigned in April following his arrest for possessing an illegal firearm.
IFP caucus leader Mduduzi Nkosi said his party had received complaints that the by-elections would not be free and fair, alleging that people had been bussed in from other wards to register in ward 39.
Provincial electoral officer Mawethu Mosery confirmed that the by-elections in the ward had been postponed pending an investigation into voter registration irregularities.
He said the commission was able to pick-up irregularities but, in the ward 39 case, a political party had also complained about the irregularities.
Mosery would not say when the next by-election would be held or when the investigation would be concluded.
Edward Mngadi, a party liaison committee member representing the IFP on the Independent Electoral Commission committee, said taxis and kombis had been seen dropping people off outside the voting station in KwaMashu.
“By-elections were held in the same ward six months ago and between 500 and 600 people registered. This time around, when registration opened in May, 1 221 people registered. The number was too high and it’s impossible that so many people had never registered before from this ward,” he said.
Meanwhile, the municipal by-election in ward two in Vulamehlo Municipality on the South Coast would be held tomorrow with 3 520 registered voters. The ward had been represented by the ANC and became vacant as a result of the death of its councillor.
By-elections in ward six and ward 12 in Mandeni Municipality in Zululand, with 3 543 and 3 915 registered voters respectively, would also be held on Wednesday. The position was left open when two ANC councillors died in a car accident, Mosery said.
The Mercury
