According to sources, The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has welcomed Action SA’s decision to head to court over failure to address the absence of the political party’s name next to it’s logo on the ballot papers by the given deadline of the 4th of October 2021, 10am.
Action SA demanded that the IEC include their full name on the ballot papers, as unlike other political parties it has no abbreviation but is in compliance with the commission’s 8-character limit on abbreviated party names, in their statement also published on their official facebook page yesterday.
In their statement, the political party confirmed that they will be taking this matter to court upon advice from their legal team that there is no legal basis for the IEC to refuse their request to have their name on the ballot paper.
The IEC, in their statement on their official facebook page yesterday, responded to Action SA’s accusations that it has neglected its responsibilities to ensure free and fair elections. “The absence of the abbreviated name of Action SA on the ward ballots is because, at the point of registering as a party, Action SA elected not to register an abbreviated name or acronym.
Action SA, in their documents in which they applied for registration as a political party, and which must be publicly lodged in terms of the regulations, responded with a “not applicable” in the space where the political party was required to indicate its abbreviated name,” the IEC announced in their statement.
“The party went further to indicate that “there is no abbreviation of the name of the party” as part of its application documentation. The application was lodged in the government gazette 43 940, published on 27 November 2020,” The IEC added. They also indicated that t there are 14 other political parties without abbreviated names on the ballot papers.
According to sources, The IEC only has space for a party’s abbreviated name and Action SA, still a new party, are mainly concerned with voters not being able to recognise it with only its logo on the ballot papers.
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