Dodgy candidates will be disqualified

CONVICTED criminals who have sneaked on to party lists for the May 7 elections may be disqualified. Members of the public were asked to submit objections to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) by April 1.

People who will be disqualified are those who have been declared by a court to be of unsound mind, and those who have been convicted of a crime and sentenced to more than 12 months’ imprisonment without the option of a fine in this country or another, if the offence is also deemed to be a crime in South Africa.

The IEC is to rule on objections by April 7. Appeals must be submitted to the Electoral Court by April 10. The final lists will be published on April 22.