‘Grant IEC extension with conditions’

The Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) say while they agree that the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) should be granted an extension to collect all valid addresses of the voters, the extension must come with conditions.

The IEC is making an urgent application in the Constitutional Court in Braamfontein, Johannesburg for a further extension to obtain valid addresses of the voting population.

The court ruled in 2016 that the lack of addresses was inconsistent with the Constitution’s founding values to ensure accountability, responsiveness and openness.

The IEC has requested an extension until after next year’s elections, saying there’s nothing more it can do to significantly go beyond the 82% of addresses it currently has.

The DA however says the extension should be granted at least until two months before the elections. The DA further says more voter registration drives must be held to acquire the addresses.

The IFP is also not opposed to extension, but says it should be until voting day, on which day the IEC must get addresses as people vote, which is what the IEC also wants. The IFP contends that while challenging the credibility of the elections based on the address requirement may be successful in some cases, it’s highly unlikely in this case.