BRAAMFONTEIN – THE opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), which is confident of a positive performance in the forthcoming municipal elections in Gauteng, said it would challenge the outcome in the event of irregularities that marred the general poll in 2014.
This is among mechanisms the party has put in place to guard against vote rigging.
Ahead of the elections scheduled for May, the party, which will be making its debut at elections at that level, said it would not accept any “suspicious” outcome.
Such an outcome will be challenged in court.
Exclusively responding to questions from Gauteng Guardian, EFF National spokesman, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, said his party would deploy enough manpower across Gauteng province to ensure transparency prevailed.
“We have more party agents than we did before (previous elections). We also hope that there will be much unity of opposition parties guarding the electoral processes,” said Ndlozi.
“In the end, we will be prepared to resort to court in the event of any election that will be suspicious and irregular,” Ndlozi said.
He expressed confidence in the conduct of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) but urged the election body to maintain its credibility by guarding against complacency as well as manipulation by so-called ‘third forces’.
EFF’s sentiments follow some alleged irregularities partly marring the general election held in 2014.
There were claims of ballot papers found dumped in the streets of Diepsloot, and Alexandra (where violence erupted), the densely-populated suburbs north of Johannesburg.
As a result of the alleged ballot papers mishap, some supporters of one of the opposition parties held IEC officials hostage.
The Army fired rubber bullets and stun grenades to disperse hundreds of protesters demanding the release of suspects linked to the IEC officials’ ordeal.
In the capital Pretoria, incidents of dumped ballots were reported. It was reported that dumped ballots were from the Lynnwood voting district.
It is further reported the ballots were mostly in favour of the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), another opposition party, but such could not be verified.
EFF lamented the “complacency in the handling of the ballot boxes.”
Meanwhile, EFF, the revolutionary socialist political party started in 2013 by expelled former African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) president, Julius Malema, and his allies, is confident of building on the gains it attained in the general election in 2014 to mount a strong challenge in the local government polls.
In the provincial poll it secured more than 10 percent of the vote, translated into eight of the 73 available seats- in the country’s economic hub.
Statistically, Gauteng, represents EFF’s third largest support base after the North West and Limpopo.
“Our message to voters is, a vote for EFF is a step toward economic freedom. We are ready for elections and confident that our growth will be huge and we will be in government,” Ndlozi said.
– CAJ News
