Leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA), John Steenhuisen said it is expedient that the party keeps an “eagle eye” on the electoral activities of the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).
Steenhuisen was quoted as saying: “As an opposition party, the DA is required to keep an “eagle eye” on processes within the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC)”.
Recall that the Democratic Alliance (DA) was one of the opposition parties who opposed the extension of registration of candidates by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
SurgeZirc reported that the African National Congress (ANC) had failed to register over 20 candidates before the previous deadline, but in a controversial fashion, the Electoral Commission (IEC) announced an extension in which the Democratic Alliance (DA) vehemently condemned.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in response to the extension filed an application before the Constitution Court to cancel the process and declare it unlawful. The CONCOURT however, dismissed the application stating that the decision of the Electoral Commission (IEC) was in line with the existing statutory provision of the law.
READ MORE: CONCOURT Dismisses DA’s Petition Over IEC Reopening Candidate List
Making reference to a similar incident, the Democratic Alliance (DA), said the decision of the CONCOURT was bais and in favor of the ANC.
The party maintained that the conclusion would be ineluctable, given the IEC’s previous disqualifications of other parties for missing deadlines in the 2011 and 2016 elections – decisions that were upheld by the Electoral Court at the time.
“Our job, as an opposition, is to keep an eagle-eye on the IEC and to raise questions and concerns. I still maintain if it was the DA that never got their candidate lists, it would have been a completely different story.
“The IEC, in their own papers, said they couldn’t open the candidate lists again, but then two-and-a-half weeks later… somersault… suddenly they can open again. It’s something we are going to have to watch,” he added.
