ANCYL Ruth First Branch

For Immediate Release

ANCYL WEST COAST RCPC MEDIA STATEMENT ON RIGGING OF ELECTIONS

03 November 2021

The ANCYL West Coast RCPC has observed with disgust the manner in which IEC has compromised the integrity of Elections in the Saldanha Bay Municipal area. Under the current IEC Manager Anton Bester IEC has lost its core values of rendering "Free and Fair Elections".

There are many irregularities and inconsistencies around the elections in the Saldanha Bay Municipal area:
People were found to be registered in other Wards even though they never re-registered and their votes were always casted in their VD's where they reside, and they are not affected by the Delimitation (Demarcation) process.

It has come to our attention that the DA Ward 2 Councillor Candidate Leonard Mitchel has been intimidating and threatening voters during the campaigns and throughout the Elections. Charges against the DA Candidate Leonard Mitchel have been opened at the Vredenburg SAPS.

The DA captured IEC has received numerous complaints regarding the conduct and behavior of Leonard Mitchel which was clearly in contravention with the rules set out by IEC.

On the 30th of October 2021 the Vredenburg SAPS and IEC again received reports of intimidation and threatening of Voters during the Special voting coming from that DA candidate Leonard. To make matters even worse Leonard became a party agent for DA though the rules are clear that NO Ward Councillor Candidates allowed to be party agents.

As if that was not enough, kids who are not eligible to vote voted on instruction of the DA in Ward 2, all those kids are ready to testify. The ANCYL has also been informed that the Ballot Box disappeared for about 30 minutes during the Elections on the 1st of November 2021.

During the counting the Ballot Papers were more than the votes casted, and this is a clear sign of elections being rigged in Ward 2. It is clear to everyone that these elections were not free and fair, the writing is on the wall for everyone to see in Ward 2.

The ANCYL West Coast RCPC condemns the thuggery and mafia behavior and conduct of the DA Ward 2 Councillor Candidate Leonard Mitchel with the contempt it deserves. We call on the Vredenburg SAPS to act swiftly on the cases laid against Leonard Mitchel.

The ANCYL West Coast RCPC warns the DA Candidate Leonard Mitchel to stop targeting female voters especially with the alarming rate of Gender Based Violence.
We also call for a Rerun in Ward 2. The ANCYL West Coast RCPC stands with the residents of Ward 2 Witterklip community until they get a Ward Councillor of their choice through free and fair election processes.

Failure to deal with this matter on the side of IEC and SAPS will lead to exploration of alternative avenues until the Community of Ward 2 Witterklip receives their Councillor of choice.

The ANCYL West Coast RCPC supports free and fair elections, but with IEC under the stewardship of Anton Bester as the Manager we have lost confidence and faith in IEC rendering free and fair elections. We call for his removal as the IEC Manager as he( Anton Bester) has compromised the integrity of IEC.
We will attend to this matter legally and otherwise.

Issued by
Ancyl West Coast RCPC

For enquires:

Cde Mazitshana Siphiwe
RCPC Coordinator
078 323 4468

Cde Lucky Mdingi
RCPC Spokesperson
078 382 8626