CALL FOR ELECTIONS TO START AFRESH IN KAMKHWELI VOTERS ROLL DRAMA

KAMKHWELI - Some residents of KaMkhweli under Siphofaneni startled many when they got hold of the voters roll and combed it to remove voters who are allegedly not from the area but voted during the primary elections.

The residents demanded the voters roll and went through the verification exercise to ascertain if all voters were from the chiefdom. What prompted the residents to insist on getting the voters roll were allegations that some people, who were not from the constituency, were brought by buses to vote in the area.

Verifying

During a visit to the KaMkhweli Umphakatsi yesterday, the residents were found going through the voters roll, whereupon they were seen verifying if the voters belonged to the chiefdom. Security was enforced as officers were parked with their vehicles outside the royal kraal, while residents and some traditional leaders went through the roll.  This publication gathered that the verification of voters was done after there was a meeting held by the umphakatsi with Simelane, to address her on her campaign strategies. The meeting was said to have been convened at 7am. 

Explaining how the voters verification exercise came about, KaMkhweli Indvuna Tikhontele Ngcamphalala shared that a meeting was called by the Chief, Prince Mshengu,  after there had been complaints that the election process was not properly concluded, as there were people who voted but were not eligible to do so. He said the complaints were from candidates who lost in the primary elections. “As a result of these complaints, the prince ordered that the voters roll should be sought, and the verification exercise should be conducted. As you can see, this is what is happening right now,” Ngcamphalala said. He said it was those who were complaining who were conducting this exercise.

The indvuna said there were suspicions that about 140 people who were not from the area, had voted. Meanwhile, some dissatisfied residents were of the view that the elections process was not properly conducted and should be redone. They blamed the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) for not acting on the matter, when it should have, way before the primary elections. According to the residents, the matter was previously reported but nothing was done. They said it was high time the commission acted accordingly, and the only way was for the elections to start all over again in the constituency.  EBC Communication Officer Mbonisi Bhembe was asked to confirm if the commission released the voters roll, and if this was done in accordance with the law. He was also asked on the way forward.

Confirm

“I cannot confirm that but I have inquired from authorities to ascertain if EBC officials were sent to work on this matter and the merits of it all. I am awaiting confirmation,” he said.
Bhembe said superiors had been informed about this and they were working on it. He said he could not make any observations on the residents going through the voters roll, adding that it was difficult to prevent people from scrutinising the voters roll. “However, after their scrutinising, it is the action after, that superiors have to ascertain if it’s legal or not. And due action will be taken thereafter,” he said.

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