DP WILL CHALLENGE LOCAL POLLS IF NOT FREE AND FAIR

CAPE TOWN Aug 28 Sapa

The Democratic Party would not allow a single electoral
irregularity, including tampering with voters' rolls, to go
unchallenged during local government elections, DP Senator James
Selfe said on Monday.

Its decision not "to stop the (general) election dead in its
tracks" on "unimpeachable legal grounds" had cost the DP dearly, he
said in a statement.

Although the decision not to proceed was based on the "national
interest", "the blatant irregularities prejudiced us in respect of
about 20 percent of ultimate seat allocation".

Having consulted DP members countrywide, "I have come to the
conclusion that in many parts of the country, the local government
elections have the potential to be disastrous".

The DP was giving early warning that if necessary it would
"rigidly and relentlessly pursue all legal and constitutional
remedies", he said.

The party was assembling a task force of lawyers to monitor,
check and challenge, where necessary.

Earlier, CP leader Ferdi Hartzenberg said the NP and ANC by
supporting constitutional amendments for staggered polls were
ensuring that, as in last year's general election, the local
elections would also result in fraud, intimidation, and, where
there are no voters' rolls, even violence and insurrection.