Elections 2021: Independent candidates crying foul over tactics used by their opponents

Credible Alternative 1st Movement (CA1st) mayoral candidate for the City, Rod Solomons

Credible Alternative 1st Movement (CA1st) mayoral candidate for the City, Rod Solomons

Published Nov 3, 2021

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Cape Town - Some independent candidates are crying foul, noting suspicious behaviour by opponents leading up to and on election day.

Ward 60 independent candidate Hanif Loonat expressed his dissatisfaction over the campaign strategies used by the DA.

“The removal and damage to my posters is clear where it comes from. I was the second most visible to the DA when it comes to branding in my ward,” he said.

Loonat said he put up 640 posters, but in the last two weeks was left with under 300. He said he was sure of 600 voters were registered in support of him, however, none was on the voters roll.

“The disrespectful way the DA administer themselves at the voting stations is extremely unacceptable. They would harass and openly canvass when voters are at the gates of the voting districts,” said Loonat.

Independent ward 57 candidate Kirsten Quan Poking said: “From the amount of posters that were torn down or vandalised in some manner, I can tell that those parties must have felt threatened by what I represent, an option more appealing than a party candidate, someone that is a dedicated voice for their community.”

Independent ward 9 councillor candidate, Godfrey Luyt from Bellville South, said of the 36 candidates, two were independent.

“I stood alongside parties who have the money and resources to run large campaigns. I started working full-time in my community about two years ago and had no financial backing or resources for proper campaigning. My supporters in my community contributed what they could,” he said.

Democratic Peoples Movement Ward 26 councillor candidate Emeraan Petersen
Independent ward 9 councillor candidate, Godfrey Luyt from Bellville South, said of the 36 candidates, two were independent.

Democratic People’s Movement ward 26 councillor candidate Emeraan Petersen noted a number of irregularities at Leonsdale Primary School, in Elsies River on election day.

Petersen said the device used to scan IDs at the entrance was faulty and many who registered were not picked up by the device and left the voting station.

Petersen said around 200 supporters were counted, however, results showed just 40 votes.

Petersen said the majority of votes were taken away from the movement and deemed faulty as the X markings had breached the boundaries.

Credible Alternative 1st Movement (CA1st) mayoral candidate Rod Solomons, said a number of their posters had been removed or defaced along Jan Smuts Drive, Berkeley Road, Alexander Road, Ringwood Drive, Tableview and Grassy Park along the M5.

Solomons opened a case of malicious damage to property with the police.

“It is clearly an indication that they are scared of our message and we’ve hit a nerve and they thought that we would entice people to move away from them,” he said.

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Cape Argus