IEC's Intention to Approach Constitutional Court
The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs welcomes the decision of the Electoral Commission to urgently appeal the Electoral Court order at the Constitutional Court. This appeal is in line with the call made by the Committee last week for the IEC to urgently attend to the Electoral Court ruling.
This appeal will enable the Constitutional Court to provide clarity on the Electoral Court order vis-à-vis the Constitutional Court order of the 30 November 2015. The clarity will enable the IEC to streamline and continue its preparations for various by-elections as well as the impending 2016 local government elections.
Furthermore, elections represent the cornerstone of South Africa’s constitutional democracy and as such must be seen to be free and fair at all times. The final arbitration by the Constitutional Court will ensure that the IEC revise their processes to ensure that they abide by the highest standards of free and fair elections.
Besides this, the Committee is encouraged that despite the ambiguity in relations to the Electoral Court order, the IEC has undertaken to roll out initiatives to ensure that all voters update their details on the voters’ roll ahead of the 2016 Municipal Elections. This proactive move will ensure that the voters’ roll is updated and enhanced irrespective of the Constitutional Court ruling.
The Committee encourages the electorate to take up the opportunity provided by the IEC on the 5th and 6th March to register for the upcoming municipal elections and also to update their details on the voters’ roll across the country.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Malatswa Evans Molepo
Tel: 021 403 8438
Cell: 081 512 7920
E-mail: mmolepo@parliament.gov.za
