IEC takes swift action on false voter registration claims in eThekwini by-election
The Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) in KwaZulu-Natal has moved quickly to investigate the allegations of false voter registration of voters in the eThekwini’s ward 110 by-election.
The voting is currently underway on Wednesday in the ward that incorporates Durban north areas of Glen Anil, Phoenix and Mount Moriah.
The allegations are that there were 135 voters that appeared under the same address in Mount Moriah which turned out to be one bedroom flat on 1 Moriah Drive as well as 79 on 2 Mount Moriah Drive which is also one bedroom flat. Eighty-nine (89) voters were said to have been registered using the cemetery address near the informal settlement.
In a short statement to the publication, the IEC provincial spokesperson Thabani Ngwira said it was made aware of this discrepancy on Tuesday, however, it was after the formal objection process period was closed for this by-election.
Ngwira said nevertheless, the electoral body’s eThekwini Metro office is verifying these figures.
“The voters will be flagged on the voters roll. Should they show up on election day, they will be questioned to verify their addresses before they are allowed to vote. In the sampling that was done by the office, it turned out these are the people who registered sometime ago,” said Ngwira.
He said the further verification has revealed that people registered in an address that turned out to be a cemetery near an informal settlement had recently registered online, adding that should they also show up on election day, they will be taken to the informal settlement to point out their shacks.
The ward is being hotly contested by the DA, Umkhonto weSizwe Party and the ANC. It was previously under the DA and became vacant when the party fired its councillor. The DA appeared to have enjoyed the majority previously, however, after the inclusion of Mount Moriah which is a new settlement of RDP houses beneficiaries and informal settlements which are mainly Africans, the DA may find it hard to retain the ward.
willem.phungula@inl.co.za