Following court ruling, IEC to set to up more voting stations abroad

Source: EWN Traffic
Author: Kgomotso Modise

JOHANNESBURG - The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) will have to set up more voting stations abroad following a court ruling in favour of the Democratic Alliance (DA).

The party took the IEC to court for voting to be allowed at honorary consulates.

But the IEC's lawyers argued that these consulates were run on private facilities and had no state power.

The DA's application comes on the back of South Africans in Perth, Australia not being able to cast their ballots at an honorary consulate near them.

They have been told that they have to travel to the capital, Canberra.

The IEC has sustained two blows in the last 24 hours, with the Electoral Court making an order in favour of former President Jacob Zuma's candidacy, and another in favour of the DA in its bid to have voting at honorary consulates.

The opposition party had argued that some South Africans living abroad were hours away from consulates and high commissions and should be allowed to vote at honorary consulates.

But the IEC flagged the impracticality of setting voting stations at these consulates, saying they were not official state offices and it must first be determined if they can house a free and fair election.

The court has ruled that the IEC's decision, disallowing voting at honorary consulates should be set aside.

This means the commission will have to set up more voting stations abroad for the May election.