Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Eyaaz
Published on 2024-04-16 15:06:05
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) is facing challenges in verifying the authenticity of the signatures collected by political parties and independent candidates for the upcoming general elections. The IEC requires political parties to gather at least 15,000 signatures, while independent candidates must gather 1,000 signatures to contest the elections. However, the IEC does not have a way to verify whether the signatures match the ID numbers submitted by the parties and candidates.
According to the 2023 Electoral Amendment Act, all political parties contesting the 2024 general elections must register 15,000 members and supporters on the IEC portal. The IEC deputy chief electoral officer in charge of outreach, Mawethu Mosery, stated that the commission accepts the documents provided by political parties and independent candidates without suspicion. Once the documents are accepted, they are made public for objections to be raised by individuals.
There are concerns about the possibility of forgery and the impact it may have on the integrity of the election results. Mosery highlighted that if an individual discovers that their signature was forged and an elected candidate used their name incorrectly, it is up to parliament to deal with the matter. The IEC hands over the election outcome to parliament seven days after the elections, and any discrepancies in signatures and identities must be addressed by parliament.
The IEC’s deputy chief electoral officer, Masego Shebur, mentioned that the commission does not have a database of signatures to verify their authenticity. The IEC only checks whether the number of captured signatures meets the required number for a candidate to qualify. There is a window period for interested parties to inspect the supporting documents and raise objections if necessary.
There are concerns about the potential for litigation arising from forged signatures and the need for thorough investigations to address any discrepancies. The integrity of the electoral process is crucial, and measures must be taken to ensure that all signatures are authentic and accurately represent the individuals they are attributed to.
In conclusion, the IEC’s reliance on political parties and independent candidates to provide accurate signatures poses a challenge to the integrity of the electoral process. It is essential for parliament to address any instances of forgery or misuse of signatures to uphold the credibility of the election results. Vigilance and transparency are key in ensuring fair and accurate elections in South Africa.
Read the original article on Mail & Guardian
