ActionSA heading to court to get its name on ballot paper

ActionSA says it will go to the court since its name does not appear on the ballot paper for the 1st November local government elections.

The party says the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has missed its deadline of 10h00 today to remedy this matter. It says it has received legal advice that the IEC has breached its overreaching responsibilities to ensure free and fair elections due to the absence of the party’s name on the ballot paper.

The ANC missed the deadline for candidate submission – the entire deadline was shifted by the IEC.

'ActionSA' – The name of our party is excluded by the IEC from draft ballot papers – the IEC refuses to amend them.

Free and fair?

— Herman Mashaba (@HermanMashaba) October 4, 2021

The party says when the Commission refused to register them it cited a study by Human Sciences Research Council, that names and abbreviated names are the most important party identifiers on the ballot paper.

“Our legal team has confirmed that there is no legal basis for IEC to refuse our request to have our name on the ballot paper, and we are confident the courts will share this perspective. By refusing, the IEC is in breach of its overarching responsibilities to ensure free & fair elections,  a critical component of which is ensuring voters are able to identify their political parties in various ways that include the logo, name, acronym, and leaders,” says the party in a statement.

ActionSA, however, says the laws of the country are silent on what information goes on the ballot paper.

“Our legal team is drafting papers on an urgent basis, and a press conference will be held on Wednesday to brief South Africans.”