PLC calls for amendment of Electoral Act

Lebogang Baingapi | Friday June 12, 2015 15:39

This was revealed during an Independent Electoral Commission workshop held in Jwaneng, which was hosted with them aim of reviewing the 2014 national elections, and devise recommendations for future improvements.The workshop attracted together IEC and its stakeholders like religious organisations, bogosi, youth organisations and pressure groups.

It emerged that during the last national elections, there were incidents where youth complained that the elderly had skipped queues at polling stations, although they arrived late.  The IEC called on members of the public to exercise cultural ethics where the elderly are given first priority in queues.

Another burning issue was of voter trafficking, where there were allegedly several voters transferred from one polling station to another.  This was seen as a dirty game, which has the potential to cost a clean democracy. The IEC was also implored to use social media to spread their message in order to target the youth.

In the past elections, the commission had to do voter registration for three times because they did not reach their target. Meanwhile, the committee pleaded with the commission to use unemployed youth during elections, rather than civil servants, as this would empower and educate them on the process of a democracy. 

The committee suggested that the party liaison committee be offered a sitting allowance and be engaged in all IEC activities.

Members added that the ward development committee popularly known as Village Development committees (VDCs) should be part of the committee as they are role players in the economic development of the country.