DA accuses Minority Front of electoral fraud

The Democratic Alliance has laid charges against the Minority Front (MF) on Sunday for alleged electoral fraud, the party said.

The MF's conduct was in direct contravention of Chapter 2, Section 19 of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and Electoral Code of Conduct, police spokeswoman and south Durban chairwoman Dianne Kohler Barnard said in a statement.

DA provincial leader Sizwe Mchunu laid the charges at the Chatsworth police station.

Four by-elections were set to take place in eThekwini metro municipality on Wednesday, including wards 52 and 73, previously held by the Minority Front.

Kohler Barnard said on May 31, Prashant Teekalall and his mother Boonwathie were taken by MF secretary Vigie Kumarie Mothilal and MF ward 73 candidate M Dasrath from their home in ward 71 to ward 73.

They were then made to register as residents of ward 73.

Minority Front spokesman Patrick Pillay said the MF denounced the allegations.

"The MF has never violated the Electoral Code of Conduct previously. We have never violated the Code of Conduct currently and we will never do so in the future," he said.

"The MF has been running a very clean campaign for these by-elections. We are very positive and confident because of the huge community support we will be receiving on Wednesday from ward 73 in Chatsworth and Ward 52 in Phoenix."

He said the MF saw the DA's allegations as the height of desperation, with the DA scraping the barrel in attempting to mislead and undermine the MF's positive campaign.

"We never ever engage in such irregularities. If the DA is so confident the voters roll needs to be investigated, they can get an interdict to postpone the by-elections, so the IEC can do a thorough validation of the voters roll."

The reality was the DA were using senior citizens as their propaganda bait, which was totally uncalled for, unacceptable and a real shame, Pillay said.

Kohler Barnard said the Teekalalls had also laid charges against the MF on Sunday.

"They told the police they know of many other people who have allegedly been made to do this by the MF and were willing to accompany them to the homes of those other victims," she said.

"The DA will not allow these dirty tactics by the MF to distract us from our campaign in the run up to Wednesday's by-elections."

She said the DA had also laid a complaint at the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) against the African National Congress because eThekwini municipality was not allowing the DA to put up banners, while the ANC were being allowed to do so.

"We have also reported to the IEC the issue of double posters in the city where both the ANC and Sanco [SA National Civic Organisation] are punting ANC candidates for July 2."