MK Party challenges IEC over rejected candidate-list changes

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) has raised concerns over the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) decision to reject their requests for amendments to candidate lists for the upcoming local government elections on November 4. The MK Party’s national spokesperson, Sifiso Mahlangu, highlighted their requests for changes in ward candidate placements, adding candidates who were omitted and removing those who had died.

In their response dated October 20, the IEC stated that the Constitutional Court’s judgment in the ANC v IEC matter did not open the nomination process again, except for the reinstatement of candidates already listed on the IEC’s online system before the August 28 deadline. The Constitutional Court had ruled in favor of the African National Congress (ANC) on October 15, ordering the IEC to reinstate 181 candidates whose details were captured on the online system before the deadline but not finally submitted.

The IEC later extended this relief to 32 other political parties deemed to be in similar situations. Mahlangu questioned why his party’s requests were rejected and if they were given the same chance to have their circumstances evaluated. He emphasized that the proposed amendments were not "trivial administrative issues" but directly impacted the party’s candidates, organisational preparations, and participation in the electoral process.

Mahlangu urged the IEC to provide a detailed written response explaining its decision and the legal basis for rejecting the amendments, stating that such questions are crucial to fairness and accountability. The MK Party also asked if the ANC had received additional procedural accommodations beyond what the Constitutional Court ordered and if so, the legal basis supporting it.

They sought clarity on whether the IEC applied the same criteria when assessing their requests. The party cited past complaints about the IEC’s administration, including a disruption to its live results dashboard during the 2024 general elections and the disclosure of candidate lists. They also mentioned allegations against IEC chairperson Janet Love, with Congolese opposition figures accusing her of helping legitimize a fabricated voter register in the DRC, as well as fraud charges against IEC deputy chairperson Nomsa Masuku linked to her former job at Standard Bank.

Mahlangu stressed the importance of transparency and accountability and announced that the MK Party would pursue the matter through lawful channels and would not abandon their affected candidates. They called on supporters to remain united, disciplined, and resolute in their pursuit of accountability from the institutions entrusted with administering South Africa’s democracy.