IEC avoids registration weekend strike
Thousands of IEC staff threatened to strike ahead of the last voter registration weekend before this year's elections
A strike by the staff of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in the KwaZulu-Natale ahead of the last voter registration weekend before this year’s elections has been averted.
Timely intervention by the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government has averted threats of a strike by thousands of IEC employees (affiliated to Nehawu). The threats caused widespread panic as many feared voting stations would be unattended and many would-be voters will not be able to register or verify their registration status.
“The imminent strike has been averted and the last voter registration weekend can now proceed as planned,” said KZN MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Nomusa Dube-Ncube who was tasked to represent the provincial Cabinet in negotiations with the unions.
The Provincial Government took a decision to intervene and broker a deal between the IEC staff and the institution to ensure that unregistered voters in KwaZulu-Natal do not lose this important opportunity to register and participate in the upcoming provincial and national elections.
Today’s agreement has lifted the dark cloud hanging over the final voter registration weekend inKwaZulu-Natal.
Reacting to the agreement provincial IEC head Mawethu Mosery said, “We have found each other together with Nehawu and we commit ourselves to continue working to resolve the issues that have been raised. We assure all KZN citizens that it is all systems go in as far as this weekend final voter registration is concerned.”
Head of NEHAWU in the province Zola Saphetha said, “We are satisfied with the outcome of the discussions with regards to agreements in handling the areas of dispute. The strike is suspended and we expect all members to resume work and ensure the voter registration process runs smoothly. We will receive a progress report on the 25 February 2014 and we will determine a further cause of action thereafter.”
“The IEC is one of many success stories in the post-apartheid South Africa, having presided over four provincial and national elections and three local government elections. Our provincial Cabinet has intervened to ensure that the IEC continues to play its role in our democracy,” said Dube-Ncube.
The IEC has approximately 775 staff members across the province.
