Judge Zonke Magagula has ordered that former Senator Mkhululi Dlamini is eligible to stand for elections at Siphofaneni, under Maphilingo community.
Dlamini was within his rights to run to court and challenge the EBC particularly, if he felt, he had enough evidence to convince the court that,he was eligible to participate in the ongoing elections.
But, government has a tendency of appealing court decisions just to frustrate litigants who successfully challenged State institutions, in the interest of justice, Elections Commission Chairman Prince Mhlabuhlangene, as a seasoned lawyer, must just respect the court order.
It should be noted that, chances of ex-Senator Mkhululi Dlamini winning elections or becoming Siphofaneni Member of Parliament(MP) are next to zero percent(0%), he might not even make it to the Secondary elections.
The Siphofaneni voters never filed complaints after the EBC disqualified the former Senator, it is only Mkhululi who is fighting the Commission with an intention to be included in the list of nominees, after all, the people don’t know him at Maphilingo and they might not vote for him.
But knowing Mkhululi and his political tactics, he might have calculated that at Maphilingo, a small Chiefdom, he might just need a few votes just to make it to the Secondary Elections where it would be legal to campaign and thereafter, he will seek to escalate his popularity.
Even if he can manipulate Maphilingo and win, elections at Siphofaneni are highly contested, his chances of eventually becoming the next MP of that Constituency are next to zero.
It’s true, the Elections Commission was within its powers to remove Mkhululi whose eligibility to stand for elections at Maphilingo Chiefdom remains highly questionable even after the court order issued by Honorable Judge Magagula.
But in this regard, he managed to convince the court and the order must be respected particularly because, as mentioned, Mkhululi will definitely lose elections at Siphofaneni.
As a result, the voters will decide and pronounce a decision on his political future within seven (7) days from now.
We cannot therefore, waste State resources challenging a potential loser,the voters are now seized with the matter.
No filing of affidavits,heads of arguments,no filling of written submissions, no waste of State resources on delivery of urgent applications and no filling of return of service, among others.
As the situation stands, only the voters through the ballox box will decide ex-Senator Mkhululi Dlamini’s political future and, in less than seven(7) days they decide and issue a ‘judgement’ through the elections results.
In light of the aforementioned, and having read the court order issued by Honorable Judge Zonke Magagula, one have no further sentiments in this regard but, to allow ‘proceedings’ in the court of public opinion to continue pending finalization of the matter on the ballox box.
Judgement on ex-Senator Mkhululi Dlamini’s political future will be pronounced by the voters next week. The court adjourns!!!
Elections Commission Chairman Prince Mhlabuhlangene.