EFF WELCOMES MOSENEKE INQUIRY FINDINGS THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS IN OCTOBER 2021 WILL NOT BE FREE AND FAIR

Tuesday, 20 July 2021

The EFF welcomes the findings by the Independent Electoral Commission's inquiry into the feasibility of free and fair elections, which has found that to hold elections in October 2021 will not be free and fair according to the provisions of the Constitution and relevant legislation.

The inquiry, led by Former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke correctly concluded that there is no feasibility of free and fair elections as a result of primarily the adjusted lockdown regulations that hinder electoral activity such as campaigning, restriction on political activities and gatherings and voter registration initiatives.

The former Deputy Chief Justice echoed the sentiments of the EFF, that voters will not be able to exercise rights that are necessary for free and fair elections, and that political parties and independent candidates will be unable to canvass and interact with the electorate under the current deadly pandemic and associated regulations and restrictions.

The inquiry noted the inability of those who desire to be elected into office to get their political message across to the electorate, as they are unable to conduct what normally constitutes an electoral campaign. This includes rallies, door-to-door campaigns and meetings.

Judge Moseneke further correctly observed that political parties with the necessary economic muscle will be able to advertise and migrate to digital measures of campaigning, which hinders the ability of those who are smaller or independent to campaign, and hinders the ability of the electorate to decide who they wish to elect in a free and fair manner.

This is precisely because a majority of people in our country do not have access to necessary technical capacity to engage in a meaningful electoral process.

We therefore welcome the proposal by the inquiry that elections be postponed to February 2022, to allow for a majority of the population to be vaccinated to ensure that all are able to participate in elections in a manner they deem appropriate.

The EFF has been the only consistent and rational organisation with regards to the foolishness of seeking to host Local Government Elections in October, while the political space has essentially been restrict in the months leading up to the election.

The unpredictability of the virus, coupled with the lacklustre vaccination program in South Africa not only means that it would be a medical danger to host elections as seen in India, but it would further be an election that lacks the basic principles of fairness.

The inquiry correctly noted that community immunity will not be reached by October 2021, and that South Africa has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the world. Summarily, to hold elections which are what has long been heralded as super-spreader events, and will lead to a resurgence of infections.

As the EFF has long declared, to hold elections would be to subject South Africa to massive death in a context of poor health infrastructure.

The EFF is vindicated in that, the regularity of elections must never supersede the basic principles of fairness and freedom. To insist on hosting elections despite prevailing conditions would be an exercise in madness.

The EFF calls on the IEC to accept and support the recommendations of the inquiry, and desist from hosting registration and related events that would not only be wasteful expenditure but undermine the process undertaken to determine the feasibility of elections.

We will further propose an emergency convening of the National Assembly, to pass an urgent motion to amend the constitution to allow for the postponement of elections beyond the established five-year term of municipal councils, and beyond the 90-day deadline that would require elections to sit in November 2021.

Former Deputy Chief Justice Moseneke has conducted a comprehensive and in-depth inquiry, whose recommendations drew from insight in the medical, political and electoral sphere. There has been no scientific or political logic to continue with elections under the current conditions.

It is therefore of utmost importance that the recommendations of the inquiry are taken seriously and implemented, in order to preserve not only life, but the integrity of South Africa's democratic project.

Statement issued by the EFF, 20 July 2021