Zille furious with ‘pathetic’ IEC

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An angry Helen Zille slammed the Independent Electoral Commission on Wednesday evening for running out of ballot papers and boxes and refused to back a call by the ANC for voting hours to be extended.

# IEC meeting over ballot box crisis

# ANC want voting hours extended

# Voting stations face difficulties

"I think the turnout was great but the IEC was pathetic. They ran out of ballot papers, they ran out of ballot boxes," the Democratic Alliance leader and candidate for premier of the Western Cape said in a telephone interview.

"You don’t extend voting hours because you failed to get it right the first time round. It really makes me so angry.

"It will only benefit the ANC because they have queues going round the block."

Earlier, the ANC urged an extension of voting hours in provinces where voter turnout had been especially high.

"The IEC [Independent Electoral Commission] needs to come to the party and extend voting hours to ensure that all South Africans can exercise their democratic right to vote," party spokeswoman Jessie Duarte said.
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http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=985828
 
There has been some serious oversights on the part of the IEC. They should have foreseen this problem by allowing people to vote wherever.
 
Personally, I think it's a double-edged blade. On the one hand, condemn the IEC for their inefficiency and refuse an extension based on the fact that the IEC are wasting everyone's time; on the other hand, refuse thousands (if not millions) of remaining voters their right to vote.

As a DA supporter, I say that the voter should not be held accountable for the flaws of the IEC and that I believe an extension should be granted. However, I also consider it unfair for those who have already voted to wait an indefinite amount of time for the results of the polls to be revealed.

*shrug* Permit an extension and bring a disciplinary hearing of sorts against the IEC (or more precisely, those responsible) once the election is over.
 
I was always under the impression that the IEC normally did a good job of things - I don't remember huge mess-ups like running out of ballots or ballot boxes in previous years, unless they just weren't reported.

I think an extension could be warranted - the main thing is that everyone who is eligible should get their chance to vote.
 
Aw cummon! There is NO EXCUSE for running out of papers and boxes... There is a Voters Role list for every Ward, and that is the total amount of ALLOWABLE votes for the station.

This is plain incompetence.
 
But people were switching stations which means some places had more voters than expected. They allowed for the people that had originally registered there. How were they to know that 20 000 more people could pitch up there. Granted they should have made allowances for this as they were the ones that declared that you could vote at any station within the province.
 
Also i think they did not expect the turnout to be as great as it was.
 
"You don’t extend voting hours because you failed to get it right the first time round. It really makes me so angry.

"It will only benefit the ANC because they have queues going round the block."
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Huh? What stupid logic is that? It's not like -more- people are going to vote (of the people that wanted to vote) if they extended the hours..if they're in the queue they would've voted.

Even then, how does this benefit the ANC more than any other party? Is the DA suggesting the ANC-voters are slow voters and therefore need more time or what?
 
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the iec planning is done by accenture... More like Accidenture... any projects i've been together with their consultants they tend to over look key issues..
 
sly said:
the iec planning is done by accenture... More like Accidenture... any projects i've been together with their consultants they tend to over look key issues..
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Like ballots being too big for ballot boxes and as a result the boxes filling quicker than they should have.
 
ink running out... no proper resource replishment plan... Reactive polling station officers
 
Whatever happens, I doubt that we will hear of any ass-kicking of responsible IEC officials in the coming days. I really hope that the principle of accountability is highlighted in the new government. This may be a long shot, but I think that all public servants should be paid a base salary, and will be granted the rest of it if they do their job adequately, and are paid more if they perform exceptionally well.
 
sly said:
the iec planning is done by accenture... More like Accidenture... any projects i've been together with their consultants they tend to over look key issues..
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I used to work for them, and from my experience I can tell you that it's because they overwork their people. We used to work ridiculous hours, weekends and even public holidays. They have some very very bright, dedicated and hard working people working for them, but they try to wring them dry.
 
"You don’t extend voting hours because you failed to get it right the first time round. It really makes me so angry.

"It will only benefit the ANC because they have queues going round the block."
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So because you think it'll only benefit the ANC you don't support it.If you think it'll benefit the da you would support it.

It's not the fcking voter's fault,he/she have a right to vote...extend it.

Fcking two faced,hypocritical botox scum.:mad:

So-called blue sweep hasn't realised botox?...reality is a b1tch.
 
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I have to say that I feel extremely disappointed in her comments. Every voter has the right to vote.
 
Ridiculous logic on Helen Zille's part. She insinuates that ANC supporters are all at the back of the queue. WTF woman!? What a joke that the IEC ran out of ballot papers and that Helen Zille believes that to be sufficient reason to deny voters their democratic right to make their mark...
 
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