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NMB ward committee election process fatally flawed

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Dear Editor

The ward committee election process in Nelson Mandela Bay is fatally flawed and immediate intervention is needed.

Despite the numerous attempts by the DA on the oversight task team to ensure compliance with the ward committee policy as well as to ensure that the process complies with the basic principles of fairness and accuracy, the ward committee unit is influenced by their political principles to proceed.

The DA has now written to the Chief Whip of Council and the City Manager requesting their urgent intervention.

Currently the process is riddled with errors, which include:

  • At least 36 of the 60 wards have discrepancies regarding the number of nomination forms submitted to the ward committee unit, and the number recorded as received. This means there are either extra nomination forms that have appeared from an unknown source or there are nomination forms that are missing.
  • A number of nominees appear to have been disqualified for reasons that are unclear and not in keeping with the prescripts of the policy. Conversely a number of nominees are listed as being approved, despite them being obviously incapable of such approval – persons who are deceased and persons who are registered voters in a different ward to the one they are nominated. The integrity of these lists is in question.
  • The provisions of the policy as it relates to Rejection of Nominations has not been followed in that the Electoral Officer must inform the Speaker and any nominee in writing of their rejection, and the reasons for such rejection and afford the nominee not more than seven (7) days to correct such defective nomination. These steps have not been taken.
  • The appeals process is exclusionary in its current format. Those who wish to object can only do so in person at the ward committee offices in Chapel Street. There is no provision made for objections to be lodged at ward offices nor even for them to be submitted via fax or email.

If no feedback is forthcoming from the Metro, we will request intervention by the EC MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA)

Let’s get NMB working again.

Regards

Cllr Leander Kruger
DA NMB Chief Whip

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.