Mr Sy Mamabolo
Chief Electoral Officer
Independent Electoral Commission
Private Bag X112
Centurion
0046
Dear Mr Mamabolo
Independent forensic audit of UDM electronic candidates’ records: uploads of certain municipality’s candidates’ names
1. I refer to the process of the so-called bulk uploading of identity numbers i.e. the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) online system that results in the names of candidates being recorded; either linked to a corresponding ward in a municipality, or to a certain slot on the proportional representation (PR) list in a municipality.
2. As you are aware, the United Democratic Movement (UDM) had experienced serious problems where the system jumbled or dropped candidates’ names on the ward uploads and there were glitches with the PR uploads as well.
3. In addition, it was clear that this problem had not only affected the UDM as the National Party Liaison Committee meeting of 7 October bore testimony to; where the majority of political parties indicated that they were affected by the same problem.
4. We are dissatisfied in the extreme with what had occurred as well as with the IEC’s explanations; even after the several meetings that took place wherein undertakings were made to correct the errors. Our candidates, in whose name we are mounting this process, have been severely prejudiced.
5. We furthermore receive countless complaints from voters who said they went out to vote for their chosen UDM candidate, only to not find them on the list due to this major error. The fact that our candidates’ names were omitted affected morale within the party during campaigns, not only for our candidates, but our campaigners as well. Even a simple practical element such as producing our candidates’ posters was an almost insurmountable task.
6. Just as with the bulk uploading system, the IEC’s stubborn belief in the superiority of technology (or a seeming unwillingness to acknowledge that it could even fail) was met with abject embarrassment as thousands of voters were disenfranchised when the electronic voters’ roll devices had failed. By the time it was communicated that disappointed voters could complete MEC7 forms and vote, many voters had lost interest in returning, and braving the queues.
7. In our quest to find answers, and since we are not information technology (IT) experts, it is our intention to appoint a competent external forensic auditor to scrutinise the electronic records/footprint to establish exactly what went wrong, where and why.
8. We herewith request your, as well as the IEC’s IT department’s, cooperation with such a forensic audit of solely the UDM’s records of the following municipalities:
8.1. City of Cape Town
8.2. Ekurhuleni
8.3. Emalahleni
8.4. Enoch Mgijima
8.5. Ingquza Hill
8.6. Intsika Yethu
8.7. King Sabata Dalindyebo
8.8. Mhlontlo
8.9. Nyandeni
Yours sincerely
Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP
President of the United Democratic Movement
Copied to: Mr Bongani Msomi, UDM NPLC member
Ms Thandi Nontenja, UDM NPLC member
