Julius Malema to participate at elections inquiry: here's where he stands
The Moseneke inquiry will on Friday hear from EFF leader Julius Malema about whether he thinks SA should forge ahead with the local government elections later this year, the EFF announced on Wednesday.
The issue has been hotly debated among politicians since President Cyril Ramaphosa announced in February that SA would hold elections on October 27.
The Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) last month appointed former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke to look into the feasibility of holding free and fair elections amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Malema has on several occasions called for the elections to be postponed to a later date, saying the Covid-19 conditions prevent politicians from campaigning effectively.
“How, practically, are we going to campaign if we are to be consistent with Covid-19 protocols? Campaigns constitute a critical component of free and fair elections. As we speak now, Ramaphosa said political party activities are suspended,” he said last month.
The IEC on Tuesday postponed by-elections that were expected to be held on Wednesday, citing lockdown alert level 4 restrictions.
The EFF welcomed the postponement and said voters must not be compromised for elections.
“If the conditions which led to the cancellation of the June 30 by-elections are the same as those of the October 27 local government elections, then there can be no sensible reason to cancel the one but pursue the other,” said the EFF.
One SA Movement leader Mmusi Maimane made his submissions to the inquiry on Wednesday. Maimane said the elections must go ahead as planned.
He said the IEC could preserve the lives of voters by putting in place protective measures.
African Content Movement leader Hlaudi Motsoeneng said voters must come first.
“We need to focus on the lives of our people. The constitution is not there to kill people; it is there to protect people. We are in control of the constitution, it is written by us, but we are not in control of the lives of people,” he said.
Moseneke said the inquiry hopes to conclude its report and hand it to the IEC on July 21.