Home

Political parties in Free State prepare for by-election at Metsimaholo local municipality

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Fifteen Free State political parties have pledged to adhere to the electoral code of conduct.

This comes as they prepare to participate in by-elections in two weeks at Metsimaholo local municipality.

The province’s only hung council was disbanded in July after they failed to table the 2017/18 budget.

This followed the collapse of the Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters and Metsimaholo Community Association-led coalition.

In two weeks time 15 political parties will face off as they attempt to win the votes of residents with promises of a better life.

The ANC says: “We are talking to our people directly to understand their plight. We have spoken to them about their needs and issues.”

The DA on the other hand says: “It’s important for us to do this pledge, because we are very aware that when it comes to election time people are not obeying all the rules and regulations in terms of the code of conduct.”

Metsimaholo becomes the first municipality to be contested by the South African Communist Party after their meltdown with the governing ANC.

Mojalefa Simango of the SACP: “The SACP is contesting outside of the alliance precisely, because of the challenges that the workers and people of Metsimaholo have come across. We feel that issues of workers have not been taken seriously by the alliance especially the leader of the alliance.”

The Independent Electoral Commission says it has not been a smooth road.

Of the 82 000 people on the voter’s roll, the addresses of 10 000 were either incomplete or could not be found.

Jabulani Tshabalala Free State provincial electoral officer elaborates: “It’s the issue of getting the voters roll with addresses or to make sure that those with incomplete addresses we have complete addresses for, but as it is we have certified the voter’s roll without having the addresses.”

Applications for special elections are currently underway.

Author

MOST READ