Durban – Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi is concerned at the number of incidents of intimidation and fraud that appeared to be surfacing ahead of the election.

Buthelezi, addressing a rally of about 300 of the party faithful in Durban’s Umlazi area on Monday, said the party would do everything in its power to ensure a free and fair election.

But he expressed grave concerns over the appointment of members of the SA Democratic Teachers Union as electoral officers.

He urged the IEC not to appoint Sadtu members.

“Sadtu is openly aligned to the ruling party and campaigns on their behalf. They are not independent observers. They have a clear incentive to influence the outcome of election to benefit the ruling party.”

He said an Electoral Court decision handed down on 30 April had quite clearly shown that Sadtu members could not be trusted as election officials.

The court handed a ward in Nongoma back to the IFP. This followed a complaint from the IFP that some of the special votes cast in a by-election in that ward had not been counted because the presiding officer had failed to stamp them. The NFP was at the time declared a winner.

“The person that was in charge was a member of Sadtu, who failed to ensure the ballot papers were stamped.”

Buthelezi said he had been told that some 16 percent of election monitors were members of Sadtu.

The latest reports that ballot papers had apparently been stolen in Cape Town was cause for further concern.

“I am very seriously concerned… as long as there is scope for these shenanigans,” said Buthelezi.