BUILD One South Africa (Bosa) leader Mmusi Maimane won't stop fighting the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) until it gets its house in order.
Maimane said this on Thursday, 7 March outside the IEC offices in Centurion, Tshwane.
He said the commission was unfair to new parties as the requirements to enter the political space were steep.
Maimane said: “Being a new political party has not come without its challenges. Between the government, the IEC and the Constitutional Court, many unnecessary, and some unjust, hurdles have been placed in our path.
“One of the more unfair hurdles has been the signature requirements for new entrants. Previously, a new party needed only 1 000 signatures of support to qualify to contest elections. However, the new Electoral Amendment Act has radically hiked this number up in a sinister effort to stymie competition and political choice.”
ALSO READ: Malema 'attacks' ActionSA leader!
He said Bosa is challenging the entire act in the Constitutional Court.
The matter will be heard after the 29 May elections.
The court last week rejected Bosa’s urgent application, meaning that the current act will govern the elections.
“As the law stands, new parties require approximately 60 000 signatures, almost 60 times more signatures than previously. This is an unjustifiable high burden. Over the past weeks we have seen many new entrants struggle to meet this requirement, some even dropping out of the race,” said Maimane.
He said political parties in Parliament passed the amended act for their own preservation and protection.
For more news and entertainment at the palm of your hand, follow our Whatsapp Channel via this link:
