IFP 'missing' 370 000 votes

2004-04-19 14:08

Cape Town - The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) will contest the results of the election after the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) failed to investigate 42 complaints of violence and intimidation lodged by the party, and declared the poll free and fair.

The party claims that irregularities occurred in both national and provincial elections, but mainly in its stronghold of KwaZulu-Natal.

IFP spokesperson John Aulsebrook raised concerns that the IEC had declared the election free and fair without advising all political parties of its intention.

"The Inkatha Freedom Party is accordingly unable to endorse the declaration of the election to have been free and fair and has tasked a legal team to investigate the institution of an appeal to the Electoral Court."

He said he was unsure whether the appeal would be lodged on Monday.

"It is up to the legal team to decide when and where."

Aulsebrook said the party was concerned that 367 731 votes were cast in KwaZulu-Natal outside registered voter districts.

Concern

"The IFP expresses extreme concern that 367 731 voters cast their ballots in voter districts in KwaZulu-Natal where such voters were not registered on the voters roll for the particular districts."

He said it was alarming that the verification procedures, in place to confirm voters' correct registered voting districts, was insufficient.

The IFP also accused the ANC of transporting its supporters from one voting district to another.

He added that the party was concerned by allegations that members of the SA National Defence Force had intimidated and assaulted residents of the Msinga area.

"Some of these incidents allegedly prevented persons from exercising their constitutional right to vote and have accordingly impacted on the freeness and fairness of the election."

Aulsebrook said a full dossier containing the details of these incidents were submitted to Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota for investigation.

- SAPA