By OBAKENG MAJE
Some political parties in Taung have rendered the 2021 Local Government Elections (LGE) not free and fair. This comes after allegations that one of Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) officials in Matsheng village near Taung interfered with voting processes.
It is alleged that the presiding officer, Lebogang Senokwane (35) at Makgethe Middle School voting station in Matsheng village near Taung opened a sealed ballot box in the absence of the political party agents on 31 October 2021.
Azania Independent Community Movement (AICM) representative, Khunou Sebitso said: “What happened yesterday, the voting station closed at 12pm as the presiding officer said he wanted to prepare for 1 November 2021. All party agents left after ballot boxes were sealed. However, at around 2pm, we received a call informing us that the voting station had been re-opened and there were people voting.
“We rushed to the voting station immediately and indeed it was opened. We then asked the presiding officer why he opened the voting station without party agents’ knowledge. He alleged that he had received a call that there were 12 people who wanted to vote, but they found the voting station closed.”
Sebitso further said they asked Senokwane who gave him a directive to open the voting station and unsealed the ballot box? He said they have not received any answers from him thus far.
“We went to the Taung Police to file a criminal case against him. However, the police advised us to write a report instead. The police said we should return to the voting station and compare the ballots and check if they correspond on 1 November 2021.
“However, that has not happened and we are worried. We also visited a voting station in Tlapeng village and found ANC volunteer canvassing inside the polling station. We informed the presiding officer there about the incident, but she did absolutely nothing,” said Sebitso.
EFF party agent, Dorah Mokwai also shared the same sentiments. Mokwai said they demand answers from the IEC. Meanwhile, the embattled IEC presiding officer, Lebogang Senokwane said he received a directive from the IEC manager to re-open the voting station.
“As the IEC employee, I received a call from the Area Manager telling me that apparently there was a complaint that the station has been closed, while voters are standing outside stranded. So, he gave me the instruction to come back and re-open the voting station.
“Indeed, I came back and met with some party agents along the way. The Area Manager arrived a few minutes afterwards and gave me the VMD to open the station. One voter arrived immediately after I had opened and indeed the ballot box was sealed.
“So, I went back to the Area Manager to request a nylon bag to use as a ballot box. However, he said using a nylon bag will be a bit dangerous because it will create many uncertainties,” he said.
Senokwane said he spoke to the IEC Manager in Taung, Gerry Mpotla who gave him a go ahead to unseal the ballot box. He said according to IEC regulations, a voter cannot be denied an opportunity to vote simply because there are no party agents.
The Electoral Commission said it has received the report and investigations are underway. The IEC also reported that as at 10h30 this morning, 27 per cent of the 64 502 results expected had been finalized.
The IEC spokesperson, Kate Bapela said this status is in line with expected result capturing process.
“It is estimated that 905 of the results would be finalized by evening. The balance of 10% would take another 24 hours to complete. The Northern Cape has completed 74% of its results, followed by Western Cape at 46%.
“In third position comes Free State at 26%, while the rest of the provinces’ completion rate ranges between 15 and 37%. The result capturing involves a number of processes including the verification of the result slips, the capturing, scanning and the auditing of the results,” she said.
Bapela added that the IEC would like to call upon all leaders of political parties to act and speak responsibly as the result collation process unfolds. She said the commission had anticipated the prospect of a lower voter turnout already in July and approached the Constitutional Court.
“Nonetheless, the commission implemented an extensive education and communication campaign to ensure that voters turnout to out. This included educational programmes that assured voters that it would be safe to be at a voting station.
Furthermore, it is important to realize that voter turnout is a multifaceted phenomenon influenced by different factors. Some of the elements that motivate voters to go relate to factors outside of the purview of the Commission such as disruptions to services, levels of trust in political institutions,” said Bapela.
The Guardian 