THE Electoral Code of Conduct Observer Commission on Tuesday said it was worried about the continued reports that questioned the integrity of the Electoral Commission (IEC).
It said it would write a letter to the IEC to make a plea that it considers these reports "for the sake of the elections and the nation".
With less than a month to go before the elections, the IEC has been engulfed in controversy, with calls continuing to mount for chairwoman Pansy Tlakula to step down. The embattled chairwoman has been implicated in a scandal involving the procurement of the IEC’s offices in Centurion. The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union has said it has lost confidence in her leadership and at one point threatened to go on strike to force her to resign.
Opposition parties said last week they would initiate legal proceedings against Ms Tlakula if she did not step down.
The Electoral Code of Conduct Observer Commission is made up of religious leaders, lawyers and business people, among others.
The commission, which, among other things, seeks to ensure that elections are free and fair, that parties abide by the rules and that politicians are held accountable for their actions, was scheduled to meet political parties in the Western Cape on Tuesday to discuss ways to ensure a peaceful election.
However, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of Cape Town, who is a member of the commission, said there had been a "glitch" that led to the nonattendance of the political parties, and suggested that a confirmation e-mail for the meeting had not be sent out to the parties.
Members of the commission then interacted with the media and raised some concern around the elections, including the controversy surrounding the IEC.
Braam Hanekom, a member of the commission and moderator of the Dutch Reformed Church in the Western Cape, said that "whenever statements and reports come out that throw a shadow of doubt on the integrity of an institution like the IEC then you can know for sure that it is a big worry for us".
"What we want to do is the minimum, which is to write a letter to the IEC and say that this a concern and make a plea that for the sake of the nation and this election, please take (this concern) into consideration," Mr Hanekom said.
Another issue raised was the campaigning of political parties. Archbishop Makgoba said that he was worried that electioneering now seems "to entail going to another political party’s headquarters, which is very confrontational and it can get out of hand".
In February, the Democratic Alliance marched to the African National Congress’s headquarters in Johannesburg. The march, dubbed "the march for real jobs", ended in chaos.
"We are saying play the ball, do not play the man or woman ... so raise the level of your debate in terms of your manifesto but please do not get to positions of confrontation," said Archbishop Makgoba.
He said confrontational acts by political parties provoked acts of violence and anger among South Africans.
© BDlive 2014
Pansy Tlakula. Picture: PUXLEY MAKGATHO
THE Electoral Code of Conduct Observer Commission on Tuesday said it was worried about the continued reports that questioned the integrity of the Electoral Commission (IEC).
It said it would write a letter to the IEC to make a plea that it considers these reports "for the sake of the elections and the nation".
With less than a month to go before the elections, the IEC has been engulfed in controversy, with calls continuing to mount for chairwoman Pansy Tlakula to step down. The embattled chairwoman has been implicated in a scandal involving the procurement of the IEC’s offices in Centurion. The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union has said it has lost confidence in her leadership and at one point threatened to go on strike to force her to resign.
Opposition parties said last week they would initiate legal proceedings against Ms Tlakula if she did not step down.
The Electoral Code of Conduct Observer Commission is made up of religious leaders, lawyers and business people, among others.
The commission, which, among other things, seeks to ensure that elections are free and fair, that parties abide by the rules and that politicians are held accountable for their actions, was scheduled to meet political parties in the Western Cape on Tuesday to discuss ways to ensure a peaceful election.
However, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of Cape Town, who is a member of the commission, said there had been a "glitch" that led to the nonattendance of the political parties, and suggested that a confirmation e-mail for the meeting had not be sent out to the parties.
Members of the commission then interacted with the media and raised some concern around the elections, including the controversy surrounding the IEC.
Braam Hanekom, a member of the commission and moderator of the Dutch Reformed Church in the Western Cape, said that "whenever statements and reports come out that throw a shadow of doubt on the integrity of an institution like the IEC then you can know for sure that it is a big worry for us".
"What we want to do is the minimum, which is to write a letter to the IEC and say that this a concern and make a plea that for the sake of the nation and this election, please take (this concern) into consideration," Mr Hanekom said.
Another issue raised was the campaigning of political parties. Archbishop Makgoba said that he was worried that electioneering now seems "to entail going to another political party’s headquarters, which is very confrontational and it can get out of hand".
In February, the Democratic Alliance marched to the African National Congress’s headquarters in Johannesburg. The march, dubbed "the march for real jobs", ended in chaos.
"We are saying play the ball, do not play the man or woman ... so raise the level of your debate in terms of your manifesto but please do not get to positions of confrontation," said Archbishop Makgoba.
He said confrontational acts by political parties provoked acts of violence and anger among South Africans.
© BDlive 2014
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