The ANC caucus in Tshwane has warned of a secretive plan allegedly hatched by the DA-led coalition, to nullify the outcomes of the ward committee elections expected to be concluded on Sunday and Monday.
The party claimed the recent media statements by council speaker, Mcendi Ndzwanana expressing concern about the unbecoming conduct of some candidates, was part of the plan to question the integrity of the elections.
ANC caucus spokesperson, Joel Masilela said in a media statement, that Ndzwanana was acting on instructions from the DA-led coalition “to cancel the current process”.
The party said the multiparty coalition bloc had plans to “challenge outcomes of those meetings through secretive caucuses with certain stakeholders".
According to Masilela, the move came after the DA-led coalition allegedly lost a grip on the elections that took place in Centurion on July 20 and 21.
The ANC’s concern came after Ndzwanana called out ward 61 councillor, Naeem Patel, for announcing ward committee members and the sectors they will represent without authorisation.
Condemning Patel’s conduct, he said: “It is troubling to note that councillor Patel, along with other City of Tshwane councillors who have undergone training on the City of Tshwane ward committee by-law, has taken it upon himself to unlawfully declare and establish the ward committee in his area.”
He said the by-law clearly outlined the procedures that must be followed for the affirmation of ward committees. “Once the City of Tshwane election process concludes and the auditors finish their auditing, the Speaker will convene a meeting, in consultation with the Independent Electoral Management Body (IEMB), to officially declare and affirm the ward committee members.”
In the latest media statement, Ndzwanana took issue with candidates using the City of Tshwane logo to campaign, saying it was “inappropriate and unlawful”.
He said the misuse of a municipal logo created “the misleading impression that the City is endorsing these candidates”.
“The Office of the Speaker firmly condemns these actions and emphasises that such practices undermine the integrity of our electoral processes. It is essential that all candidates adhere to ethical campaigning standards and respect the established regulations governing election conduct.”
Ndzwanana said he would report such violations to the IEMB for further investigation and action. “We take this matter seriously and are committed to maintaining transparency and fairness in the electoral process. We urge all candidates to conduct their campaigns responsibly and in accordance with the law.”
During the first round of the elections last week, anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee expressed concern on X that a Laudium polling station didn’t have a voters’ roll to ensure that the eligibility of voters was double-checked before casting their ballots.
Ndzwanana, however, dismissed such claims, saying those manning the station used the IEC Cloud to access the voter’s roll.
The much-anticipated elections got under way after the 2014 ruling by the High Court in Pretoria nullifying the 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 basis that they excluded the participation of members of the public.
Masilela said the City had suffered a 10-year period of not having ward committees, accusing former council Speaker Katlego Mathebe of being instrumental in blocking the establishment of committees.
In 2018, Mathebe called off the ward committee elections at the eleventh hour after it was found that the amended by-law risked excluding other members of the public from participating in the elections.
The postponement of elections, which had already been advertised, was said to have cost the City at least R4 million.
Masilela commended Ndzwanana for “his fortitude to establish ward committees against the determined DA-led coalition”.
Pretoria News