The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has criticised the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) after it rejected requests to amend its candidate lists.
The party sought several corrections, including changes to ward candidate placements, the inclusion of omitted candidates and updates involving deceased nominees.
The dispute has intensified tensions between the party and the electoral body ahead of the upcoming local government elections.
MK Party Demands Answers After IEC Rejects Changes
On Tuesday, 20 October, the MK Party said the IEC had refused its proposed amendments.
According to the commission, the court ruling involving the ANC did not reopen the nomination process generally. Instead, it allowed limited restoration of nominations already captured on the online system before the deadline.
The party, led by former president Jacob Zuma, wants the IEC to explain its decision in writing.
It has demanded detailed reasons for rejecting each proposed correction. Furthermore, it wants the commission to clarify how the relief granted in the ANC case differs from the changes it requested.
The MK Party believes the commission must explain how it reached its decision. It also wants greater clarity about the rules governing candidate nominations.
MK Party Questions IEC’s Transparency and Accountability
Mahlangu also raised concerns about the IEC’s handling of electoral processes. These concerns include the dashboard interruption during the 2024 elections.
“With regard to the party’s candidate list leak in 2024, the IEC confirmed the unauthorised disclosure of candidate lists belonging to the MK Party and ANC, raising serious concerns about the protection of sensitive electoral information,” Mahlangu said.
He also referenced allegations by Congolese opposition figures against Janet Love. They accused her of helping legitimise an allegedly fabricated voter register in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Additionally, Mahlangu cited the case involving former IEC deputy chairperson Nomsa Masuku. She faces charges of theft, fraud and money laundering involving R1.2 million.
The charges relate to her previous employment at Standard Bank.
The MK Party says these issues reinforce its concerns about the commission’s conduct. However, the allegations and charges do not, by themselves, establish wrongdoing by the individuals concerned.
“The importance of transparency and accountability has not diminished. The current dispute over candidate lists reinforces our distrust in the Commission,” he said.
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