Four opposition parties are to hold an "emergency meeting" with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in the Northern Cape on Tuesday to discuss "biased actions" of IEC officials in the province.

The Democratic Alliance (DA), the Congress of the People (Cope), the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), and the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) on Monday refused to participate in the symbolic signing of the IEC's code of conduct for the April 22 elections in the Northern Cape, said FF Plus provincial leader Carel Boshoff.

His party subscribed to the spirit of the code of conduct and the processes which made free and fair elections possible.

"Our national representatives signed the code of conduct in public and our candidates of whom I am also one, underwrite them," Boshoff said.

Monday's signing entailed provincial leaders binding their parties and supporters to the code. This placed a huge responsibility on voters, but specifically and especially so on party leaders.

"Because I view this position in a serious light, I would be failing in my duty to sign the code of conduct while I have reservations about clause 7(b) of the code of conduct.

"Despite the fact that the impartiality of the IEC and its officials was discussed in a meeting with the provincial liaison committee, fears in this regard have reached my ears.

"I will not be fulfilling my responsibility if I take up a 'see nothing, hear nothing and say nothing attitude'," Boshoff said.

Clause 7(b) stipulated that every registered party and candidate had to assure voters of the Commission's impartiality.

"In the meantime, an emergency meeting has been scheduled for tomorrow morning at 9 am with the IEC to address the complaints of the parties.

"The complaints relate to the biased actions of IEC officials in recent by-elections in the province.

"I emphasise that it is not a case of whether we are exaggerating it but rather when we will be ready, in terms of our responsibility, to sign it in public," Boshoff said.