Bulela Ditswe verdicts out today
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday November 14, 2018 11:16
This publication has learnt that some of the appellants will hear from the central committee today that the Appeals Board has dismissed most of the cases because they did not have enough evidence. The Appeals Board is expected to present the report to the BDP central committee on the day.
According to a source, the party's Appeals Board quashed the protests due to failure to follow electoral procedures.
“Most of the petitioners failed to furnish interested parties, their opponents, and election officers, with notice of protest, as Bulela Ditswe rules and regulations require. Some of them did not even bother to go to the counting area to notify the election officer that they do not accept the results as the constitution stipulates,” the source said.
The source said some petitioners also failed to route their protests through regional committees, as the regulations require.
Another source said some wrote their appeals to the central committee without giving reasons, forgetting that the central committee is the highest body in the party and can only listen to protests referred to it by other structures.
The source continued: “Other petitioners failed to give reasons why they bypassed the regional structure”.
“The Appeals Board will present their appeals to the party central committee which makes final decisions on appeals. The Appeals Board has not resent any verdict to anyone,” BDP communications chairperson, Lesedi Dintwe said.
Recently, the BDP secretary general Mpho Balopi announced that the committee has 79 cases before it.
He said the appeals would be attended to within seven days of their being tendered, and a decision then reached within 30 days. Of the 76 cases, 27 are from the parliamentary candidates while 49 are from council candidates.
Some of the constituencies that are still waiting for their appeals to be dealt with include Kgalagadi North, Kanye North, Lobatse, Tati West, Ghanzi South, Bobonong, Mmadinare, Selebi-Phikwe East, amongst others.