Lerato Mbhiza
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has confirmed that an employee behind the leaking of the African National Congress (ANC) and uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party’s candidates lists has been axed.
The lists, which include personal information of the parties’ national and provincial candidates, made the rounds on social media last week.
On Monday, the IEC said it tracked the source of the leak.
The IEC’s chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo said there were only two parties affected, and the official whose credentials were found to be used in the leak – although information was later deleted at the workstation – has been asked to provide reasons why action should not be taken against him.
Mamabolo defended the credibility of the IEC despite the very early leak of sensitive information from within its own ranks saying “The credibility of the commission is not dependent on a single factor [the leak].
“The incident is revolting and ought not to have happened but that is not the totality of the credibility of the commission,” Mambolo said
The IEC is expected to certify its voter roll on Tuesday with more than 27.7 million eligible voters on the voters’ roll. Making this a record number since the dawn of democracy.
The Electoral Commission will publish the certified list of voters and will then make it available at all of its offices in the provinces and municipalities.
“The certification follows the finalisation of objections by the commission on the provisional voters’ roll that was published for inspection on the 26th of February this year. Certification of the roll signifies confirmation of those citizens who are eligible to vote in the forthcoming election.
“Electronic copies of the voters’ roll which contain the redacted identity numbers of voters in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act will be provided to all political parties and independent candidates who have qualified to contest the elections,” Mamabolo added
INSIDE POLITICS
