IEC must ensure elections are free, fair and without undue interference

16 May 2016

Fellow South Africans,

This election is all about change. Changing corrupt government for honest government, changing more unemployment for a growing economy that creates jobs. It is about a better future for you and your family, or more of the same. 

That is the choice facing each voter on 3 August. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

The pledge we are signing today is provided for in the Constitution, which demands that our elections will be free and fair. 

The Democratic Alliance is passionately devoted to the Constitution and we will always honour it in word and deed. We pledge our unconditional and wholehearted support for the Code. 

However, the two major threats to this being a free and fair election are:

1. the conduct of the IEC, which has recently been called into question by the Courts; and

2. the massive abuse of state resources by one political party to assist their election campaign. 

Both of these things are not covered in the Code, but should be, because they undermine free and fair elections severely. 

So in addition to pledging ourselves to the support of this Code, we also pledge today that we will be watching very carefully to ensure that the IEC plays its proper Constitutional role, and that there is no abuse by any political party of public money that is meant for the poor. 

Vote for Change! 

Issued by Mabine Seabe, Spokesperson to the DA Leader, 16 May 2016