The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) in the North West called the ruling by the Constitutional Court that by-elections in Tlokwe were not free and fair, an embarrassment that has compromised the credibility of the electoral system.

In a statement to the media, Sanco said immediate action should be taken against those responsible for the ‘scandalous vote rigging’.

“If there are members of the African National Congress (ANC) implicated, we are calling for their immediate suspension and for internal disciplinary inquiry to be pursued against them," said Sanco Provincial Chairperson, Paul Sebegoe in their statement.

Sebegoe said these were the results of factional and divisive tendencies of continuously removing people from their deployments for holding different political opinions.

“As if that is not enough, the purging is continuing on a daily basis. It is now very clear that the ANC in the province has been sold to the highest bidder.”

Election results set aside

This comes after ConCourt set aside the results of the controversial by-elections in several wards in Tlokwe, in the North West, finding that they were not free and fair.

It set aside the by-elections conducted on September 12, 2013, in ward 18 and on December 10, 2013 in wards one, four, 11, 12, 13 and 20.

"The outcome of those by-elections was set aside and fresh by-elections are to be held," the ConCourt said in a statement.

The applicants were eight independent candidates who contested the by-elections. The ANC won all the contested wards except one.

The independent candidates included former ANC councillors expelled in July 2013 for participating in removing an ANC mayor. 

Sanco said they are calling for the disbandment of the ANC provincial leadership before it is too late.

"Our people are not going to be used as voting pawns for taking over of a factional grouping in the ANC to remove others from their deployment out of desperation for total control of state power." 

News24.com