S/Africa: ‘Operation Dudula,’ four other parties barred from contesting elections

By Mark Ogagan

South Africa’s Electoral Court has dismissed five cases brought by political parties who appealed their exclusion from contesting next month’s general elections.

The court ruled that Operation Dudula, Arise South Africa, Cape Independence Party, Defenders of the People, and Independent South Africa National Civic Organisation did not comply with the requirements for candidate nomination.

A statement from the IEC: reads: “The electoral commission welcomes the orders of the Electoral Court to dismiss five cases against the commission.

“In a consolidated decision on the five applications, the court made an identical order, dismissing all of them.

“The court applications related to non-compliance with the requirements for candidate nomination,” the IEC said in a statement on Friday.

The court added it would provide reasons for its ruling at a later stage.

The IEC said it would now focus its attention on the mammoth task of printing ballots.

“The electoral commission appreciates the hard work of the Electoral Court for bringing these matters to finality.

“These applications had immense implications for the production of the ballot papers for the forthcoming elections,” it added.

The ruling comes after the Electoral Court ruled in uMkhonto weSizwe Party leader Jacob Zuma’s favour last week.

Zuma took the IEC to court to appeal its decision to bar him from contesting a seat in Parliament.

Last week, the IEC asked the Constitutional Court to set aside the Electoral Court’s decision.