Residents of Umjindi prepare for by-election

Residents of Ward 3 in the Umjindi Municipality will vote on November 26.

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has set aside November 26 as the date to fill all vacant wards in the country, says Solomon Lukhele, IEC Umjindi coordinator.

Over the weekend – Saturday and Sunday from 07:00 to 17:00 – numerous residents registered with the IEC at polling stations around the ward. The area includes Graveville, Phase II, Extensions 13 and 14, Phola Park, Msawawa, Prison Farm area and KaMadakwa.

The vacancy was created by the resignation of controversial ANC councillor, Cllr Lucky Sambo last month, following his arrest. He was charged with fraud and corruption. However, he declined to confirm it to this publication, claiming that his arrest was in fact related to money he had borrowed from someone and couldn’t pay it back. His last court appearance was in the Nelspruit High Court last Thursday, October 16.

This is the second time in the past two terms that a by-election has had to be held in Umjindi. The previous one was in January 2010, following the death of Ward 5’s Cllr Nokuthula Mabuza in November 2009.

A by-election was held, contested by only two political parties, ANC and Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC). The ANC, which was represented by Vusi Mkhatshwa, won by a decisive majority of 700 votes while Simangele Matsebula of PAC received 50. That was the year in which Mkhatshwa’s rise began in political spheres as he was appointed councillor of the ward. He currently serves as speaker of Umjindi and as councillor of the ward. Lukhele said those who still wanted to register could do so by visiting the Umjindi IEC offices during working hours until October 24. He couldn’t confirm which political parties would contest the by-election.

“The deadline for political parties to submit their candidate lists is 17:00 on November 3. After that we will know which political parties will be contesting and who their candidates are,” he said.