Durban — Prison rights activist Golden Miles Bhudu says his organisation, the South African Prisoners Organisation for Human Rights, will approach the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, next week to have hundreds of inmates exercise their right to vote in the national and provincial elections on May 29.
“We demand that each and every incarcerated person be provided with a temporary ID, at the state’s expense, be registered to vote in order to exercise one’s democratic right to vote for a political party of his or her choice,” Bhudu said.
“The fact of the matter is that there are many inmates who are awaiting trial because of the delays that are not of their own making and they should not be deprived of the right to vote,” he added.
While such an attempt has failed in the past, the activist and his organisation are optimistic about their chances.
Bhudu also confirmed his support for the Jacob Zuma-led uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP).
“We are backing the MK Party and, needless to say, in these elections we will be supporting them,” said Bhudu.
He told the Sunday Tribune that he enjoyed a good relationship with the former president dating back to the time before Zuma assumed high office, adding that this was one reason why he had thrown his organisation’s weight behind the MKP.
“Msholozi (Zuma) used to refer to me as inkunzi ehlanyayo (crazy bull) because I would always be leading protests wrapped in chains to demonstrate that we were still under apartheid rule. Our association is from that period so that is why it is no-brainer that we are fully behind the MK Party,” he said.
Bhudu is also organising people to show their support for the MKP in its court battle against the ANC at the Bloemfontein High Court.
In a message to his organisation’s members, Bhudu said: “Revolutionary greetings, makhomanda (commanders), can we please avail ourselves to go and support the MK Party case against the ANC on 19th March 2024, Bloemfontein court ... please raise your hand as we are busy organising transportation to go and support our organisation, thank you.
Sunday Tribune