Date set for Umdoni by-elections
Initially, the by-elections were scheduled for February 23 but the DA filed an urgent application with the electoral court, raising concerns about 235 additional voters who were allegedly added to the voters’ roll during the registration weekend in January.
Former Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor in Umdoni Municipality, Ravinand Maharaj, said he will retain Ward 13 as councillor in the upcoming by-elections regardless of the political party he is currently presenting. Maharaj is now the councillor candidate for the African National Congress (ANC).
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) Port Shepstone regional supervisor, Zolile Kasphiwo told Fever that the by-elections for Ward 13 will take place on July 27.
Initially, the by-elections were scheduled for February 23 but the DA filed an urgent application with the electoral court, raising concerns about 235 additional voters who were allegedly added to the voters’ roll during the registration weekend in January.
In a recent statement, DA councillor Edwin Baptie said during the 2021 local government elections, the DA won Ward 13 with a slim majority of 37 votes over the ANC, which had held the ward for the past two decades.
Baptie said during the inaugural meeting of the newly elected council, it became apparent that the elected DA councillor, Maharaj had sold out to the ANC.
He added that Maharaj then resigned from the party resulting in a vacancy being declared by the IEC and the need for a by-election.
According to the Allied Movement for Change in Umdoni, in the inaugural meeting, Maharaj allegedly voted against his party’s mayoral candidate – Baptie.
Baptie , who is also the DA Ward 13 campaign manager said following fears that there was likely to be voting registration irregularities, referred to as “bussing”, the DA lodged objections to 235 entries on the voters roll.
He added that the IEC initially chose to certify the voters roll without dealing with the objections, saying that upon receiving notice of the DA’s application to the electoral court to set aside their decision, they submitted their own application to postpone the election.
“This was to give them time to verify the impugned addresses. They undertook two processes and proceeded to reject the objections, despite the processes being inconclusive. The DA challenged their decision on the grounds of irrationality and the court agreed. The IEC were then ordered to use an objective method of verification and to proceed with the by-election. The IEC decided to appeal the court order and the Democratic Alliance opposed their application. That application has now been withdrawn and the election will take place on July 27,” said Baptie, adding that DA candidate, Saleem Mahomed, has engaged himself in the issues and challenges that residents in the ward are facing.
Speaking to Fever, Maharaj said he is confident that he will retain Ward 13 as a councillor.
“In local elections, people vote for the person and not for the party. The community of Ward 13 supports me because I have been with them through the looting, floods, and more. I am not a councillor but every day am still working for Ward 13. No other candidate can match what I do for them,” he said.
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