Three voter registration stations at Pampierstad in the Northern Cape were forced to close on Saturday following community protests in the area.

Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) provincial head, Bonolo Modise, said they hope to reopen the registration stations later on Saturday.

“The police are currently there monitoring the situation. The people there charged the tents (the IEC were conducting registrations in) and destroyed the tent, materials… everything,” Modise said. 

The protests were not related to the registration process.

“We are just caught in the crossfire. We don’t really know what the protest are about, but we hear they are protesting about municipal boundaries – apparently they are being moved back to the North West from the Northern Cape,” Modise said.

Modise says a new voters’ roll had been dispatched to the area and they hoped to reopen the three stations as soon as the situation allowed.

Elsewhere in the province, things were running smoothly. “Things are fairly stable around the province,” he said.

Politicians were out and about in the province getting people to register or check their details. First time voters are being targeted.

The ANC has sent several PEC members to garner support in the Calvinia area of the Northern Cape. It lost the municipality in the 2011 local government elections and hoped to recapture it this year. 

Source: News24

BY REGINALD KANYANE
The North West premier, Supra Mahumapelo may pursue legal action against one of Bakgatla Ba Kgafela’s royal member, Mmuthi Pilane.

This came after a ‘defamatory’ article published on Sowetan newspaper on Friday 4 March 2016 with the caption “Premier milking dispute”.

According to acting provincial government spokesperson, Brian Setswambung, the article states that the Bakgatla ba Kgafela royal family is angry at him for ignoring  a ruling by the provincial commission on traditional leadership disputes.

“In the same article Pilane accuses Mahumapelo of having interests in mines and lodges around the area and want to benefit financially.

“Pilane chooses to ignore the facts that he knows very well regarding this matter and opted to make  the above accusations,” Setswambung said.

 He said that Pilane can approach the relevant law enforcement agency to launch investigation for irregularities which put Mahumapelo in a conflicted situation according to him.

“If the allegations he is making have substance, he is advised to approach law enforcement agencies and submit evidence .

“The fact that the report was ignored is misplaced to say the least. It is within the premier’s purview to consider the report and thereafter to approve or disapprove it. So Mahumapelo opted for the latter, which was followed by reasons duly given to the claimant,” he said.

Setswambung said in an event, Pilane was ill informed from any quarters by people without facts. He further added that hence Pilane made the accusations on the article which are defamatory in nature.

“Pilane is called upon by the Mahumapelo to make an apology in the newspaper on or before Tuesday 8 March 2016. Failing to do so, the premier will use his rights to pursue legal avenues.

“Any effort exerted by the Mahumapelo in relation to the Bakgatla Ba Kgafela is intended to bring finality and unity in the community in general. Unfortunately there is no one who will derail this effort,” Setswambung concluded.
-TDN
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