DA welcomes Parliament's rejection of Glen Mashinini as IEC Commissioner
8 June 2022
Note to Editors: Please find attached soundbite by Angel Khanyile MP.
The DA welcomes Parliament's rejection of Glen Mashinini as Commissioner of the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). The DA has been very clear in our objection to extend Mashinini’s term as Electoral Commissioner due to the many failings of the IEC under his watch.
During Mashinini’s term, there has been an unprecedented decline in voter turnout of 3 million since 2016. Numerous reports have highlighted the apathy under young South Africans to vote, yet the IEC does not have a tangible plan to attract them. The registration of people aged between 18 to 35 keeps declining each and every election.
This, coupled with the serious concerns with the voters roll over several elections, indicates that the IEC leadership does not have the competence or political will to ensure free and fair elections in South Africa. During the local government elections (LGE) in 2021, multitudes of voters did not appear on the voters roll despite registering in time, many were registered in the wrong voting district, or their names were moved to different wards without notification.