Tlokwe six not budging
A by-election in the small North West town of Tlokwe could end up disrupting the Independent Electoral Commission's plans for the 2016 local government elections. Six councillors in that municipality insist that the Constitutional Court should allow the disruption in order to safeguard the right to free and fair elections.The Tlokwe councillors are adamant that this year's local government elections would be a sham if allowed to go ahead under current circumstances.The Electoral Court previously ruled that the Tlokwe by-elections had been unfair because the IEC voters' roll lacked addresses. This omission opened the by-elections to manipulation, it was said.The Constitutional Court supported the ruling and set aside the results of the by-elections held in late 2013.Following that decision, the parties have returned to court to find a way forward.The independent councillors have returned to the Electoral Court, crying foul because 4000 addresses have not been verified ahead of a new round of by-elections. The Electoral Court halted the by-elections, leading the IEC to return to the Constitutional Court.The IEC has argued that the 2016 local government elections cannot take place if the Constitutional Court does not set aside the Electoral Court decision, which would force the IEC to update its voters' roll ahead of this year's election, or face fresh legal challenges. This would include getting the addresses of people living in informal settlements.The IEC has said it would need at least until June 2020 to obtain the addresses of everyone on the national voters' roll.The councillors are adamant that elections cannot take place until the IEC has a completed voters' roll."It is tantamount to reducing the important local government elections, due in 2016, and the general elections, due in 2019, to a formality in which the constitutionally enshrined right to participate in free and fair elections [is] sacrificed on the altar of the right to vote," they said.It is not known when the Constitutional Court will hear the matter...
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