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The Electoral Commission (IEC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the farming community at the Lezar Opstal near Heidelberg, Gauteng on Wednesday, 20 April, in preparation of the 2011 Municipal Elections. The event was attended by over 300 guests representing farmers’ and farm workers’ organisations.
The first agreement between the IEC and the farming community was signed in March 2004 for the national and the provincial elections which took place in April of that year.
The Chairperson, Dr Brigalia Bam, said in her address, “the Electoral Commission are always very happy for the good relations we enjoy with our stakeholders; particularly all of you as the leaders and representatives of farmers or the farming community. From our side as the IEC, I can assure you that our work in many rural communities and elsewhere in this country would probably be very difficult without your support, advice and overall cooperation in our promotion of electoral democracy.”
“As farmers or members of the farming community you are very important stakeholders to IEC. In the past, you have consistently attended our bilateral meetings at which we discussed issues that were able to assist this Commission to implement its constitutional mandate countrywide.
Therefore, we are aware that you do not need motivation to participate in elections or support them because you have made a mark in our elections calendar in the past; and for this we are very grateful,” said Dr Bam.
The agreement was signed by AGRI SA, the National African Farmers’ Union, the Food and Allied Workers’ Union, the Transvaal Agricultural Union, the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa and the National Emergent Red Meat Producers’ Organisation.
In terms of the agreement farming organisations committed themselves to cooperation with the commission to:
• Allow reasonable access to the Electoral Commission and its agents to our areas for the purpose of their work, in particular, voter registration and voter education.
• Allow voters to attend political rallies at public amenities for canvassing purposes by political parties.
• Allow reasonable access to the Electoral Commission and its agents to use designated places as registration and voting stations where appropriate.
• Allow voters time off to register and vote
• That visits to farms will take place in accordance with protocol for access to farms.