Political parties contesting elections have pledged themselves to tolerance and campaigning free from intimidation in the run-up to the 7 May national and provincial elections.
29 of the 33 political parties which last week submitted documentation to the Electoral Commission indicating their intent to contest the national election, today pledged to abide by the Electoral Code of Conduct at a ceremony in Midrand, Gauteng.
Four parties were unable to send a representative to the signing ceremony but remain bound by the Code of Conduct in terms of law and will be invited to sign the pledge at their soonest opportunity.
The pledge was signed by a senior representative of each party and commits them:
- To lead their parties in a manner that will reinforce a culture of tolerance towards all other parties contesting election
- To effectively counsel and advise all candidates on their party lists so that each candidate will in turn propagate a message of maximum tolerance
- To publicly promote the eradication of no-go areas for political campaigns by political parties
- To desist from using speech or from participating in actions which will have the effect of provoking either parties’ supporters or members of the general public to commit acts of intolerance or take other inflammatory actions
- To work together to achieve the objects and goals of the Code of Conduct.
Addressing the signing ceremony, Electoral Commission chairperson Adv. Pansy Tlakula said the “freeness” of elections speaks largely to the environment that prevails in the lead up to an election. “Free elections mean, above all, a free ballot—giving eligible voters a chance to make their choice, to hear the different positions of those contesting an election.
“As the Electoral Commission, therefore, we place a high premium on the ability of contesting parties to engage in free democratic political activity. We also place a high premium on the ability of every contesting party being able to campaign freely and to engage in open public debate,” she said.
The Code of Conduct is enforceable for all political parties from the date of proclamation (25 February 2014) until the results are officially announced.
The Code is part of the Electoral Act (73 of 1998) and includes a list of prohibited conduct including:
- Using language which provokes violence
- Intimidation of candidates or voters
- Publishing false information about other candidates or parties
- Plagiarising any other party’s symbols, name or acronyms
- Offering any inducement or reward to a person to vote for a party
- Destroying, removing or defacing posters of other parties
Any allegations of prohibited conduct by a party or its supporters should be reported to the SA Police Services.
At the ceremony a ballot paper draw was also held to determine which party will be first on the ballot paper. The Vryheidsfront Plus was picked as the first party on all ballot papers. The remaining parties follow in alphabetical order.
Attached are examples of the ballot papers in order of parties for the national and provincial elections along with a copy of the wording of the pledge signed today.
UPDATE: The National African Farmers Union of South Africa today added its signature to a pledge signed by members of the agricultural sector in January this year. The pledge commits members of the sector – including groups representing farmers and labourers – to facilitating voting in rural areas.
NAFUSA joined the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa, AgriSA, TAU SA, Food and Allied Workers Union, and the Metal, Farming, Entertainment, Retail, Electrical, Building and Allied Workers Union in committing to the pledge.
ISSUED BY THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION
Ensuring free, fair and credible elections
Centurion
19 March 2014
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