Cape Town - Two parties which saw their vote tallies increase after last week’s IEC recount of votes cast during the local government elections in 14 voting districts within the Cape Town Metro, are heading to the Electoral Court to see if they can achieve more recounts which could lead to an extra seat for each in the City.
IEC spokesperson Trevor Davids has confirmed that there was no change in the City’s seat allocation, but the Cape Independence Party (CIP), which triggered 12 of the recounts after it successfully lodged a section 65 objection citing vote misallocation, has said it will today head to the Electoral Court for relief.
Also going to the Electoral Court is the United Independent Movement (UIM), whose national election coordinator Brett Correia said the party gained 106 votes in the recount.
CIP leader Jack Miller said: “The IEC was wrong to exclude other voting districts, which we had requested. We had a net gain of 552 votes after the recount, more than we expected.
“With objections now closed, we will seek relief from the Electoral Court. A full investigation into widespread vote misallocation should take place to preserve the integrity of the electoral process.
“We can easily make up the 264 votes, if the Electoral Court rules even partially in our favour,” said Miller.
UIM national election coordinator Brett Correia said the party gained 106 votes in the recount, and that if the IEC allowed another recount in just a further 12 voting districts, it would be enough for the party to be awarded their second seat in the council.
“Both us and the CIP are a handful of votes away from gaining a second seat each in the City. As the UIM, we are not sure if another recount in another 12 voting districts will be enough for us to be awarded our second seat, so we are going to submit an application to the Electoral Court on Monday (today),” said Correia.