UDM ready to join Electoral Court proceedings seeking to reopen registration of LGE candidates

The United Democratic Movement (UDM) says it is ready to take part in the proceedings to seek to reopen the registration process for candidates.

The African National Congress (ANC) plans to approach the Electoral Court after claiming that technical problems on the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) website had prevented the party from registering around 30 candidates.

UDM President Bantu Holomisa says, “We are joining this case as friends of the court on behalf of UDM candidates who want to be given a fair opportunity to fight to be councillors. So if other political parties are not interested in that, we have a right to seek remedy at the Electoral Court.”

However, the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Werner Horn says those seeking to have the registration process reopened do not have a leg to stand on.

“The timetable indicated the 23rd [August] as the final day for candidates submissions, was known to political parties from the 6th of July onwards. This system was not only open on the day to capture the details of the candidates was open well in advance more than a week and from our side of course we attended to candidate selection well in advance. From our side we found the system to be user-friendly,” says Horn.

DA and UDM on the Electoral Court application:

October elections will not be free and fair: ACM

African Content Movement (ACM) President, Hlaudi Motsoeneng says should the elections take place in October, they will not be deemed to be free and fair.

Motsoeneng says the elections won’t be free and fair under current COVID-19 restrictions.

He was speaking in Qwaqwa in the Free State, where his party was nominating candidates for the upcoming elections.

Motsoeneng says he has not submitted the list of preferred candidates to the IEC. In his address to his supporters in Ward 19, Qwaqwa, Motsoeneng said elections should take place in February next year as proposed.

“We didn’t give IEC our candidates., reason simple, we can’t impose candidates of the community. We are waiting for the Constitutional Court, and I believe they will rule in favour of the IEC. If the Constitutional Court, they proceed with elections in October, after those elections we are going to challenge them,” says Motsoeneng.

Motsoeneng says residents of Qwaqwa deserve better services.

“I want to make sure that people of Maluti-a-Phofung are employed. I want investors to come and invest in Maluti-a-Phofung. Secondly, I want to make sure there is electricity – proper electricity. Thirdly I want water within 6 months,” says Motsoeneng.

Some residents believe the ACM party will bring the change they want.

“We want computers in our schools, water and electricity. We believe in him, says a resident.

“Because he is from here we trust that he will do things better,” says another resident.

Motsoeneng plans to continue his campaign in different wards in Qwaqwa.