Special votes open for Nquthu by-elections in KZN

As the countdown edges closer to by-elections in Nquthu in northern KwaZulu-Natal‚ the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) confirmed that all 116 voting stations in the municipality were opened for special votes on Tuesday‚ ahead of the by-elections on Wednesday.

This excluded two stations where there were no applications.

KwaZulu-Natal IEC spokesman Thabani Ngwira said in a statement that applications for special votes opened on April 26 and closed on May 10.

• Zuma plays ancestors card in struggle for NquthuPresident Jacob Zuma delivered the strongest message yet to Nquthu voters as the final push for control of the northern KwaZulu-Natal council shifted into high gear ahead of Wednesday's polls.

“Special Votes are for those voters that will either not be within their voting district on by-election day or cannot visit their voting stations due to ill health and physical infirmity‚” he said.

Ngwira said the IEC had approved 1‚500 special vote applications for station visits and home visits.

• If free and fair‚ IFP will do well in Nquthu by–elections: ButheleziBuoyed by recent successes in dozens of other northern KwaZulu-Natal municipalities‚ IFP president Mangosuthu Buthelezi on Sunday sought to mock the ANC and the DA - its coalition partner in other municipalities - saying he was surprised by their encroachment in Nquthu. 

He said staff were conducting home visits in order to administer those special votes.

Ngwira said voting stations would close at 5pm after all special votes had been administered.

• ANC should clean up its act ahead of 2019 electionsANC Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday said the damning report‚ titled ‘Unburdening Panel’‚ released by the SA Council of Churches around State Capture should act as a wake-up call for the party to clean up its act and restore the confidence it once enjoyed. 

“The Commission would like to report that no incidents have been reported‚ the process is progressing smoothly. In a meeting with contesting political parties this morning no report of complaint or improper processes was presented.

The political environment is stable and there is free political activity across the municipality which will encourage voter participation‚” he said.

Ngwira said voting for all registered voters in Nquthu Municipality would take place on Wednesday with voting stations opening their gates at 7am and closing at 7pm. Ngwira said the IEC was encouraging registered voters to come out in numbers to vote on Wednesday so that the party that won with a clear majority and the municipality could start functioning to deliver services to its citizens.

“As the Commission we hope that political parties will campaign vigorously for these by-elections. We also encourage the adherence to the Electoral Code of Conduct and we will be monitoring all political activities today and tomorrow until the announcement of results on the morning of Thursday 25 May 2017‚” he said.

Nquthu by the numbers

- The IEC has trained 688 voting station staff that will work in 116 voting stations.

- There are 81‚085 registered voters in the municipality. A list of Area Managers and voting station Presiding Officers was shared with the Local Party Liaison Committee to verify any conflicts of interest. Objections were received against three of the staff who were on the list and all were replaced.

- The Nquthu Municipality has 33 seats‚ made up of 17 Ward Council seats and 16 Proportional Representation (PR) seats.

- All the 33 seats are currently vacant.

- There will be two Ballot Papers for the by-election in Nquthu‚ one for a Ward Councillor and one for PR Council seats.

- There are a total of 359 candidates.

- There are 238 ward candidates.

- There are 121 PR candidates‚ representing 14 political parties contesting the Nquthu by-elections.

- Voter turnout in Nquthu in the 2016 Municipal Elections was 58.27%.

- To attain a landslide victory‚ a party needs to garner at least 42‚000 votes.

- Nquthu is one of four local municipalities under Umzinyathi District; the IFP controls two – Msinga in Tugela Ferry and eNdumeni in Dundee – while the ANC only controls uMvoti (Greytown).