Council speaker in Tshwane Mncedi Ndzwanana has quashed claims that the first leg of ward committee elections that took place during the weekend was tainted with allegations of irregularities related to the absence of a voters roll at a Laudium voting station.
It was alleged by anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee that people were allowed to cast their ballots without their eligibility to vote being verified in the absence of the voters roll.
On Saturday, Abramjee posted on X: “People are voting with no voters’ roll! It’s a joke! And no systems are in place – anyone and everyone can vote.”
The post elicited reactions from Ndzwanana, who initiated a speedy investigation into the claim and subsequently discovered that there was no voters roll hard copy at the voting station.
He, however, said those manning the station used the IEC Cloud to access the voters roll, adding that the voting process in Laudium was fair and adhered to the City of Tshwane ward committee by-law.
He urged residents to consult with the presiding officers at their respective voting stations to report any suspected wrongdoing.
“The presiding officers on site will assist you to follow the correct procedures to raise any objections, if any,” he said.
Expressing concern regarding allegations of irregularities, Ndzwanana said: “I have carefully reviewed those posts alleging irregularities at the Laudium voting station. Upon receiving this information, I promptly alerted the management in my office to investigate these claims at the voting station.”
Various voting stations opened on Saturday and Sunday for residents to take part in the much-anticipated ward committee elections.
The elections finally got under way after the 2014 ruling by the High Court in Pretoria nullifying Tshwane ward committee elections that took place in 2012.
The ruling followed a court challenge by the DA questioning the constitutionality of the elections on the grounds that they excluded the participation of public members.
The City’s process for correcting the unconstitutionality of the by-law have been delayed on several occasions.
The late council Speaker Dr Murunwa Makwarela promised that the process for nominating and electing ward committees would start in 2023, but that never materialised.
Following the nomination process that was concluded in May, elections were scheduled to take place in the last two weekends of July with the next round expected to be on July 27 and 28.
A total of 67 wards across all regions were identified as requiring elections to properly constitute their ward committees, while eight wards didn’t meet the requirements to constitute their ward committees due to the wards receiving less than six nominees.
According to Ndzwanana’s office, there would not be elections held in 32 wards but those wards would be affirmed in accordance with the ward committee by-law.
The elections are held at community halls, schools, and churches across various regions.
Ndzwanana said: “Each location has been carefully chosen to ensure that it is accessible and convenient for all voters, facilitating a smooth and effective electoral process.
“These venues play a crucial role in enabling community members to participate actively in choosing their ward committee representatives.”
Pretoria News