The upcoming election of traditional councils must be put on hold because the registration process was flawed, according to Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
|||The upcoming election of traditional councils must be put on hold because the registration process was flawed, the Pietermaritzburg High Court heard on Wednesday.
“Checks and balances were not adhered to during the registration process,” V Gajoo SC told the court.
Gajoo was representing Inkatha Freedom Party president Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who approached the court on Wednesday to stop KwaZulu-Natal's upcoming election of traditional councils.
Buthelezi, who is the chief of the Buthelezi clan, wants the elections to be held later this year to allow for proper preparations.
He argues that the provincial traditional affairs department did not follow correct procedures when preparing for the elections.
Gajoo told the court there was supposed to be an objection period prior to the certification of the voters' roll.
Traditional affairs MEC Nomusa Dube had certified the roll while the Independent Electoral Commission was still dealing with the figures.
Traditional council elections are part of the government's attempts to instil democratic principles in traditional governance. The councils work closely with traditional leaders on development and in settling community disputes.
Under the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act, 60 percent of the council's members are appointed by a senior traditional leader. The rest must be democratically elected by the public.
The elections are scheduled to take place on February 19, 2012 throughout KwaZulu-Natal.
The hearing continues. - Sapa