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IEC chairperson Vuma Mashinini has fought back claims that the commission has buried its head in the sand by failing to take action against perpetrators in light of the political violence that has so far characterised the run-up to this year’s elections.
Speaking at the signing of the electoral code of conduct for the Gauteng province, Mashinini said he condemned the violence of the last few weeks and days in the strongest possible terms and that there would be serious consequences for those who were found to be guilty.
“The electoral commission calls on all political parties, candidates and voters that infringements of the code of conduct carry severe penalties including disqualifications from elections. Any criminal conduct may lead to prosecution and penalties including fines and jail terms.”
He said the IEC was processing a number of formal complaints but would not say against whom they had been laid or the progress in their investigations.
In their commitments to upholding the code of conduct both the Inkatha Freedom Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters slammed the IEC.
The IFP said it was concerned about the competency of the IEC following its close call at the Constitutional Court.
Meanwhile the Economic Freedom Fighters have confirmed that they laid a formal complaint with the IEC after two of their members were killed while campaigning.
They called the IEC “silent partners of the ANC”.
In a press briefing Mashinini was repeatedly asked when and how the IEC was going to take action against perpetrators in order to restore order and faith in the election processes but he would not comment.
“I’m not in a position to comment on specific cases because we haven’t received a report yet. But as a matter of principle we have taken measures to put in place mechanisms that will actually expedite as much as possible the process because we know an election is something that happens overnight.”
He said that they had appointed a legal officer who would be receiving matters and either addressing them or referring them to relevant institutions like the police.
“We have had discussions with the high court where we have made a request that we need to create a mechanism similar to what we had during the World Cup where there is an instantaneous capacity set aside during this period so that matters that require the electoral court can actually be dealt with.”
