Strike on eve of voter registration weekend averted
A timely intervention by the KZN Provincial Government has averted a strike action by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) staff in the province ahead of the last voter registration weekend before this year’s elections.
The threats of the strike by thousands of IEC employees (affiliated to Nehawu) 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 KZN do not lose this important opportunity to register and participate in the upcoming provincial and national elections.
Thursday’s agreement has lifted the dark cloud hanging over the final voter registration weekend in KZN.
The IEC has approximately 775 staff members across the province.
