Concerns over Umdoni by-election results
The by-election was on July 27 and the ANC received 470 votes, EFF (378), and the DA bagged 273.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Umdoni Municipality feels that the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) gifted the ANC 200 votes during the recent Ward 13 by-election.
DA Caucus leader, councillor Edwin Baptie, said the party feels this way because the IEC allegedly verified some voters without seeing them.
The DA had previously objected to 243 voters on the voters’ roll saying that they were not from Ward 13. The by-election was held on July 27 and the ANC received 470 votes, EFF (378), and the DA bagged 273.
Baptie said they are very disappointed with the outcome of the by-elections, saying that it was not what they expected. Ward 13 was a DA Ward.
“In our view, the IEC gifted the ANC 200 votes because out of the 243 votes only 121 were met face to face. Some 200 votes were given to the ANC just by the fact that they verified the votes without seeing anyone. Now it is water under the bridge,” said Baptie, adding that they are yet to decide as a party whether or not to challenge the outcome of the votes.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Umdoni said although it has shown some valuable growth in Ward 13, they are unhappy that there were some irregularities during the by-election.
Ugu EFF regional secretary Bonnie Duma told Fever that there were people who lived in Ward 13 but they were removed from the voters’ roll.
Duma said they are not sure whether those people were removed intentionally or by mistake. He said they are planning on taking their concerns to the EFF’s provincial and national leadership.
“The elections showed us growth in Ward 13 because last year we received 224 votes and we were number three or number four but now were number two with 378 votes, so there was massive growth but at the same time that ward was in the heart of Umdoni Municipality, everyone was pulling strings so that they can win that ward,” said Duma.
Meanwhile, IEC Port Shepstone regional supervisor, Zolile Kasphiwo said individuals and organisations who have objections to the outcome of the elections had time to raise them before the official announcement of the results.
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