Times Of Swaziland: ‘Nhlambeni has 300 people but about 1 000 cast their votes’

‘Nhlambeni has 300 people but about 1 000 cast their votes’
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BY SIBONGILE SUKATI on 27/08/2013 02:40:00


NKANINI — The Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) offices were a hive of
activity yesterday as scores of voters turned up with various complaints about
the way the Primary Elections were handled.
Siboniso Gumbi who had joined the race at Ngonini Umphakatsi under Nhlambeni
Inkhundla led a crowd of about 15 people who had come to complain that the
eventual winner Sandile Mabuza had allegedly fetched people who were not from
that area to come and vote.
Gumbi who is a head teacher at Mhube came second in the elections.
“We are not hear to demand a re-election but we just want the EBC to be aware
that there were many factors which did not go well with the primary
elections,” said Gumbi.
Gumbi claimed the chiefdom had about 300 residents, but it was surprising that
there were about 1 000 people who voted there.
Gumbi was accompanied by other candidates who lost in the election of Indvuna
YeNkhundla and Bucopho and other sympathisers.
aspiring
Also at the EBC were aspiring Bucopho candidates from Macetjeni.
Muzi Shongwe a candidate told this reporter that at the nomination stage nine
people had been selected as Bucopho.
He said, however, when the ballot papers were delivered they found that the nine
had been divided into two groups of four and five respectively and the ballot
papers were taken to different polling stations named Tjedze and Mabudzeni.
decided
“The polling officers told us that it was too far for some voters to travel
and this does not make sense to us why they decided on two different polling
stations,” said Shongwe.
He said they wanted the EBC to restart the elections for Bucopho.
However, a number of the complainants were told that their matters would be
addressed in due course as the returning officers were not at the EBC offices.