Playing Dirty?

DA investigation reveals ANC food/house for votes scandal
Statement issued by: Douglas Gibson, Chief Whip
Thursday, February 23, 2006

[NOTE: ALL DETAILED EVIDENCE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST]

I have today submitted four cases of suspected electoral fraud to IEC Chief Electoral Officer Advocate Pansy Tlakula.

The DA has concrete evidence that suggests that the ANC is in contravention of the Electoral Code of Conduct (Schedule 1 of the Local Government Municipal Election Act 2000). Section 9 (2) (iii) of the Schedule states: “No person may offer any inducement or reward to another person to vote or not to vote, or to vote or not to vote in any particular way.”

The DA can reveal four cases, with supporting evidence, that the ANC is using promises of food and houses to win votes in the 2006 local election.

1. Western Cape

In the Western Cape, the DA has evidence that the ANC is using the politically-sensitive issue of housing to trick voters into voting for the ANC. The DA has in its possession sworn affidavits from voters that have been promised a house if they vote for the ANC. They include the following sworn testimonies:

[Voter X] from Bishop Lavis:
“Washeilah Arendse from ANC told me that I can get a house by 2007 if I vote for ANC – She said this on the 9 February at Valhalla Community Centre. She was sitting with the housing list forms.”

[Voter Y] from Valhalla Park:
“They promise me. Mr Hendricks at Elsie’s River Civic that if I bring the necessary documents I will get a house in 2007.”

[Voter Z] from Valhalla Park:
“The ANC promised me a house if I vote for ANC they said they will give it to me in one month. A person who told me this was at Parkville Primary School on Sunday at 16h05 afternoon. This person was working with the housing waiting list forms.”

2. Limpopo

A DA councillor in Limpopo reported that on February 17, an ANC councillor was confronted by frustrated residents of an informal settlement in the area. Some of these people had been waiting for a house in the area for ten years. The next day housing application forms were circulated in the area with the instruction that they were to be completed and returned the next day. A copy of the form is available on request.

3. KwaZulu-Natal

In Kwazulu-Natal, ANC canvassers have been handing out ‘application for housing’ forms emblazoned with ANC insignia. The DA has in its possession such a form that was handed out in Phoenix. Similar forms were also reportedly dished out in Verulam and Chatsworth.

In KwaDakuza, KwaZulu-Natal, DA MP Mark Lowe laid a charge of election fraud against the ANC with the SA Police Services and has reported them to the IEC. This was after Lowe received reports of numerous instances of ANC officials handing out food parcels to voters in an attempt to bribe them to vote for the ANC.

4. Eastern Cape

In the Eastern Cape, DA councillor Annette Steyn reported that on January 24 food parcels were delivered to Venterstrand (EC144). An ANC campaign truck carrying ANC canvassers chanting “the ANC delivers” accompanied the arrival of the food parcels. The same thing happened in nearby Burgersdorp that same afternoon.

* * *

ANC intimidation often succeeds in deterring people from laying formal complaints or going public when the ANC offers a bribe in return for a vote. It is therefore more than likely that these four cases are the tip of a far bigger iceberg.

As it is, this evidence suggests that the ANC has realised that twelve years of failed service delivery will hurt it at the polls and has resorted to cheating. This is an insult to every South African voter and the very fabric of our democracy.

Source

Notes by Metuo Dedecus:
The ANC has promised houses to voters since 1994 and persons known to have not voted ANC usually have more difficulty in getting houses or benefits from local government.