New Limpopo party vows to take IEC to court over ballot 'sabotage'
Rivalani Myambo, News24 Correspondent
Malamulele - The Malamulele Community Association (MCA) says it is planning to take the IEC to court.
This comes after claims by the newly-formed party that municipal election ballot papers had only their logo printed on them and not their party name in its abbreviated form.
MCA party secretary Hanyani Stuart Chuma said the IEC was using "ANC tactics" to sabotage their election run.
"The IEC is using some of ANC tactics to make us lose elections. They didn't include our party's abbreviations while they have put those of the ANC and EFF," said Chuma.
"This is very wrong and, therefore, we are going to take them to court because we have coughed up a lot of money to be part of these elections, and to be sabotaged like this during elections day is not good," Chuma explained.
"We were told that there is another political party in the Eastern Cape that is using MCA and we can't use the abbreviation, and that they will write our name out in full as Malamulele Community Association. But, to our surprise, the ballot paper is blank," said Chuma.
'He must tell you the truth'
"We never even had the opportunity to go campaign or put our posters in the Vuwani area, as it was a no-go area for us and the IEC did nothing about this, but posters of the ANC are seen all over the area," a disgruntled Chuma complained.
"Yesterday, we have tried to liaise with national, provincial and local government, but they told us that there's nothing they can do, as it is too late now."
Limpopo provincial electoral officer Nkaro Mateta said that, before the ballots were printed, political parties had signed off on them.
"Before the ballots are printed, we show the political parties the sample ballot, and Chuma signed off on the ballot for his party. Today he is denying it. We printed what they signed for. He must tell you the truth, he signed a sample ballot that was printed," said Mateta.
Another opposition party, Ximoko, also registered its displeasure about the election. They said the IEC was biased, as their party agents didn't get stickers.
Ximoko's Aura Choki Baloyi said: "The IEC is biased and favours the ANC. Our party agents didn't get IEC name stickers or name tags to show that they represent us, while ANC agents have them."