Article: IEC has capitalist tendencies: Malema

The EFF will not pay the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) the R600,000 deposit required when submitting candidates' lists for the upcoming national elections, party leader Julius Malema said on Tuesday.

"There should be other methods used by parties to show their seriousness which are beyond money. No party can pay for its rent if it is not serious," he said, speaking after the High Court in Pretoria adjourned an application by the Economic Freedom Fighters.
 
So the EFF won't be participating in the elections this year. Not sure how I feel about that...:erm:
 
I don't want to pay tax and e-tolls.. but rules are rules...
 
I can see how this is unfair to new parties, but if the costs was only R100- R200, how many arbitary parties would join? 100, a 1000? 10 000?

Who would then pay for those voting stations and ballots? The tax payer ofc, and you haven't been voted into anything yet.
 
DJ... said:
So the EFF won't be participating in the elections this year. Not sure how I feel about that...:erm:
Click to expand...
I suspect they will participate they aren't unable to pay the 600k to appear on all the ballots, they'd just prefer to have the money available to fund campaigning
 
On the surface I agree with him and the EFF. It should not be dependant on large sums of money to get representation.

Like most of his recent ideas since being fired from Capitalism and having to get a job at the local Revolution, there is a lot of truth and justice for the people behind what he says. The only problem is he is using it for self enrichment.
 
Paul Hjul said:
I suspect they will participate they aren't unable to pay the 600k to appear on all the ballots, they'd just prefer to have the money available to fund campaigning
Click to expand...

Precisely. They certainly have the funds, they just don't want to pay. Not because they're short of party-funding, but because this is a great sympathising political tool...*

*Yes, intended...
 
IMO, this is early IEC disruptions by the EFF, part in their greater purpose coming up to elections day, albeit I believe that not only the EFF will be unmannered in the ballot vicinities.
 
DJ... said:
Precisely. They certainly have the funds, they just don't want to pay. Not because they're short of party-funding, but because this is a great sympathising political tool...*

*Yes, intended...
Click to expand...
Well quite, look there is a great problem with the current arrangement in that it represents neither a user pay nor a reasonable demonstration of intent basis.
Why should a party pony up 200k to contest on the national ballot if it can provide an notarized assurance with stated collateral that remains interest bearing to the party?
Similarly why should an organization enjoy the IEC printing millions of ballots with their name etc ... at taxpayers expense

In my view the situation should rather be:
There is a deposit in the region of 200k (increasing with inflation) that an organization pays to to an IEC escrow account which is used to acquire an office block (or two) at whichever capital (provincial) is made the electoral seat (my inclination is towards Kimberly - Bloemfontein, Johannesburg and Cape Town are already pivotal seats) and the reminder low risk securities. Each organization that has paid the deposit is also afforded an office in the block which is the organizations electoral desk it comes furnished and ICT kitted out so that the electoral court can operate on a paperless principle. The Electoral Court is put in the building as well. Both observers and parties can utilize pay the deposit and secure attendance (so the interest covers rent ...).

A party must be have an upcredited deposit in order to contest in the national election which they sign up for. After the election is run the IEC calculates the costs of the election divided by the number of contestants and issues an invoice regardless of outcome. This invoice must be settled within 30 day or the IEC can attach the deposit for full forfeiture by the Electoral Court. Breaches of electoral rules etc ... result in fines from the Electoral Court or in serious incidents may result in a full forfeiture of the deposit
Further a judgment creditor of a party may approach the Electoral Court to attach their deposit and if granted the IEC will pay the debt up to the amount deposited and the balance of the deposit forfeited. (Parties will not be such recalcitrant debtors in this instance)

All parties contesting an election should pay towards the IECs costs equally. The public funding of parties by the DoJ&CD is a separate issue.
 
And Now?

So they will not be there in the next elections? All the red berets for nothing?
 
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