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Having adjudicated on the objections against candidates nominated to stand for the 2019 national and provincial elections, the South African Electoral Commission (IEC) has upheld one complaint and dismissed more than 50 others.
This revelation was made by IEC commissioner Mosotho Moepya at a media briefing in Sandton on Tuesday.
He said there were about 52 objections lodged with the IEC against candidates from ten registered political parties.
The electoral body dismissed all but one objection - which was regarding PAC candidate Alton Mphethi who was sentenced to prison for 18 months.
“This candidate was sentenced on June 7 2015 to 18 months imprisonment without the option of a fine. This disqualifies him from holding any elected office to the national assembled or provincial legislature.”
“The commission dismissed all other objections for failing to meet the constitutional and statutory criteria. The majority of these objections related to unproven allegations,” said Moepya.
The IEC said the complaint against Mphethi was lodged by members of the PAC.
He added that the ANC – whose list boasts the likes of Minister of Women in the Presidency Bathabile Dlamini, who has a damning judgment against her for misleading the Constitutional Court and possible perjury charges; Environmental Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokonyane, who has been implicated in multiple graft allegations; and former finance minister Malusi Gigaba, who was allegedly at the centre of the state capture project and also has a damning court judgment against him – had the most objections lodged against it with 29 objections.
“There were 19 objections against Black First Land First (BLF), 13 against the Economic Freedom Fighters and four each against the Democratic Alliance and the Land Party among others,” said Moepya.
The commissioner said: “The chairman of the commission [Glen Mashinini] said the IEC could only act within the prescription of the law and constitution and, of course, that’s really what the commission has done”.
He added that political parties and objectors concerned have been written to by the IEC to advise them of the outcome of this process.
“Any objector, party or candidate aggrieved by the decision of the commission have until April 11 to appeal this decision of the commission to the Electoral Court,” said Moepya.
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