Godrich Gardee raises concerns over IEC's integrity during EFF Plenum 2026
EFF Deputy President Godrich Gardee has questioned the credibility of the IEC in doing its work during elections.
Image: X/EFFSouthAfrica
The Economic Freedom Front’s Deputy President, Gardee Godrich, addressing the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) representatives at the 2nd Plenum of the 3rd National People's Assembly.
Gardee sharply questioned the IEC, asserting that corruption was evident within the organisation. He raised concerns focused on the absence of live voter rolls, inadequate oversight of voter registration and campaigning, and incomplete voter rolls that prevent citizens from casting their votes.
“IEC, what are your control measures to ensure that there is no fraud in every election we have. We are asking this question because the brazen attitude of IEC officials is at another level. They even stole EFF votes in the vd (voting district) where the president is voting.
“For example, EFF got 900 votes in Seshego in 2024, and ANC got 300 votes. We have the copy of the results slip, but when you look at the roc they captured vice versa,” said Gardee.
Gardee also noted the attitudes of IEC officials presiding over elections in a manner that compromises the electoral process, and how this can undermine the democratic process and election results.
Gardee engaged the IEC regarding the date of the upcoming Local Government Elections, arguing that the currently proposed November date, which was adopted due to the COVID national disaster, is no longer appropriate.
He explained that the 2021 municipal elections were delayed to November because of COVID-19, but only after the IEC obtained a Constitutional Court order to condone the change. Gardee asked why November 2026 is being presented as the default, noting that matriculants will be in camps and university students will be writing exams, suppressing youth turnout.
He urges the IEC to return to the pre-COVID norm of May–August polls and warns that the public is being “ambushed” by an assumption that November is inevitable.
IOL