Apart from disqualification, the Elections and Boundaries Commission(EBC) in collaboration with the police must investigate and arrest all the so called political activists who attempted to commit elections fraud.
Elections Commission Chairman Prince Mhlabuhlangene as a lawyer, must enforce the Elections Laws independently without fear or favour, we assume that those who participate in the elections surrendered themselves to abide by the rules and regulations governing the electoral process.
Former Senator Mkhululi Dlamini was disqualified at Maphilingo under Siphofaneni Inkhundla on the basis that, he was not a resident of that area, after we exposed him, the traditional leaders even thanked us for alerting them about Dlamini’s alleged fraudulent intentions, we were doing our job as journalists to inform the society.
In the event Mkhululi appeals successfully and be reinstated on the ballox papers, that would mean, he presented new facts that qualifies him to be included in the list of Siphofaneni aspiring MPs, such decision falls under the jurisdiction of the EBC.
But the same law must apply to those ‘comrades’ who want to vote fraudulently in Constituencies like Siphofaneni and other areas knowing very well that they are not residents of those communities.
As independent journalists, we have been receiving information suggesting that some ‘comrades’ want to commit elections fraud but we were waiting for the EBC to independently verify these allegations because here, we are dealing with individuals who commit no-wrong, they always want to portray themselves as victims.
They want the independent media to keep quiet when wrong-doings are committed in their favour but expose pro-Tinkhundla supporters or aspiring MPs, they even ask journalists “kani ungakuphi” what a shame!!!.
We are not here to massage egos of individuals but to report what is happening in the country, so that the citizens including the authorities can make informed decisions.
One wonders why these so called comrades want the support of the media to incubate wrong-doing, because all those who participate in the elections have one agenda, to gain access to public funds.
Indeed, all those who participate in the elections whether pro-democracy or Tinkhundla supporters must know that, if they commit elections fraud, they will be exposed.
Participating in elections means you are subjecting yourself to the rules and elections laws of the country, there would be no preferential treatment by the media, for those who claim they are going to Parliament to fight from within.
The only thing they can do, is to demonstrate honesty and integrity, by not committing elections fraud as a short-cut to gain access to the fifty thousand Rands(R50,000.00) salary.
Registering individuals fraudulently, who are not residents of your Constituency with an intention to go to Parliament, is a clear indication that, the ‘pro-democracy aspiring’ Member of Parliament(MP) is a fraudster.
Therefore, if we expose pro-Tinkhundla aspiring MPs and then incubate the fraud by the so-called pro-Tinkhundla comrades claiming to be fighting for democracy, that would mean we are bias and failing to execute our duties as journalists.
Elections Commission Chairman Prince Mhlabuhlangene.