The Chief Electoral Officer, Adv. Pansy Tlakula, announced today that the investigations into the complaints submitted by the Democratic Alliance against the registration of some voters on the Midvaal segment of the voters’ roll have been concluded. She said that the Democratic Alliance have been advised of the outcome of each of its complaints.
Adv. Tlakula said that in view of the wide publicity the matter received it was appropriate to publicly announce the outcome of the investigations.
She said that the IEC received complaints against 82 voters who appeared on the Midvaal segment of the voters’ roll. Reasons provided for the objections can be summarised as follows:
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Addresses provided by voters on their applications for registration do not exist in the geographic area of the Midvaal municipality or fall outside the municipal area.
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Addresses provided by voters on their applications for registration relate to vacant plots/sites, and
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Voters do not reside at the address provided on their applications for registration.
Adv. Tlakula said that it was possible to locate 71 unique physical addresses - at which more than one voter lived at some addresses – used by those who applied to register as voters and who had been complained about. All these addresses were located within the municipal area of Midvaal municipality. The objector was provided with maps; photographs and/or aerial photography on which the locations of these addresses are indicated.
Adv. Tlakula said that it was possible to locate some of the voters against whom complaints were lodged or alternatively that the IEC obtained confirmation of their residence at the stated addresses. Of these, 47 were registered in the correct voting district and they have been retained on the voters’ roll as such. A further eight (8) persons registered in the incorrect voting district and they have been moved to the correct one; that still being in the same ward in the Midvaal municipality. In addition there are 14 cases where due to a lack of access to premises the IEC could not obtain confirmation if the voters resided there or not and in these cases the matter will be investigated further.
There were six (6) applications for registration where the identity number provided by the applicants was not valid and two (2) applications referred to under age persons. These eight (8) applications would in any event not qualify and they have not been included in the voters’ roll for the forthcoming elections.
Adv. Tlakula indicated that five (5) complaints were conclusively found to be valid and the respective voters were moved back to the voting districts (in an adjoining municipality) in which they were previously registered. In three (3) cases the plot they provided as their address had no dwelling structures and in two (2) cases the plot owner and workers confirmed that the voters do not live at the address stated on their applications for registration.
For media queries, please contact:
Kate Bapela
Cell: 082 600 6386
For media interviews, please e-mail requests to spokesperson@elections.org.za
