IEC to recount votes in 14 Cape Town voting districts

The Electoral Commission (IEC) has confirmed that it will do a recount of votes in 14 voting districts in the city of Cape Town.

This comes after the Cape Independence Party (CIP) and the DA lodged objections about 26 voting districts in the metro.

Western Cape electoral officer Michael Hendrickse confirmed the recount in letters sent to the parties this week.

“By way of explanation on the background and basis of the objection of the Cape Independence Party, the CIP has alleged that in the LGE 2021 in the metro, there was a widespread issue of confusion in correlating the abbreviated name of the CIP, namely ‘CapeXit’, as appeared on the ballot papers with the name Cape Independence Party, as it was reflected on the results slips,” said Hendrickse.

“And therefore they alleged that a number of votes cast in favour of the CIP were not allocated to the CIP as a consequence of such confusion. In this regard, the CIP had identified 24 voting stations as ‘critical’ voting districts on their objection.”

He said the commission conducted an investigation of its own on the 24 voting districts.

“Based on the evidence obtained from the said investigation, [the IEC] resolved that a recount be urgently conducted in the presence of the representatives of the political parties and the independent candidates in only 12 of the 24 [voting districts] that the CIP identified,” said Hendrickse. 

He said the recount will affect votes for both PR and ward councillors. There is a possibility that the recount may affect seat allocation in the city.

DA councillor Matthew Kempthorne lodged an objection about two voting districts in the city.

“As with the recount following the Cape Independence Party section 65 objection, the recount for these two [voting districts] will also be taking place tomorrow,” Hendrickse said in a letter.

Cape Town was won outright by the DA in last week’s local government elections. It got 58.29% of the vote and was allocated 136 seats.

The Cape Independence Party, which appeared as CapeXit, got 0.57% of the vote and was allocated one seat.

TimesLIVE