MEC Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs v IEC and Others

The judgment

The court's own file

REPUBLIC OFSOUTHAFRICA ELECTORAL COURT,BLOEMFONTEIN CASENO:007/14 (1) REPORTABLE: YES100 (2) OFINTEREST TOOTHER (3)I!JVISED. / ,. 801r ......··D·ATE..····.! Intheaplicationbetween: MECCO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE, HUMAN SETTLEMENTS ANDTRADITIONALAFFAIRS, NORTHERN CAPE Aplicant and INDEPENDENT ELECTORALCOMMISSION FirstRespondent THEMAYOR:DANNYJONAS SecondRespondent THEMBELlHLELOCALMUNICIPALITY ThirdRespondent MUNICIPALMANAGER: THEMBELlHLE LOCALMUNICIPALITY FourthRespondent SUMMARY: Electorallaw-interpretationofs27(f)(ii)oftheLocal Government: MunicipalStructuresAct117of1998asamended -whetheracandidate's nameapearingonapartylistmakes him,ipsoiure,amemberofthatpoliticalparty-thiscourtfound thatitdoesnotfollow-membershipisaVOluntarychoicea personmakes. 2 JUDGMENT SHONGWE JA,(MoshidiJandMsPatherconcurring) [1]Thisisanaplicationforthereviewandsettingasideofadecisionof theElectoralCommission(theEC)whichdeclinedarequestbytheaplicant, theMECforCo-operativeGovernance,HumanSettlementsandTraditional Affairs,NorthernCape(theMEC)toholdandmanageaby-electioninWard1 oftheThembelihleLocalMunicipality. [2]TheMECsoughtadeclaratoryorderthatavacancyhadoccurredin Ward1oftheThembelihleLocalMunicipalityintermsofs27(f)(ii)oftheLocal Government: MunicipalStructuresAct117of1998asamended(the StructuresAct). [3]Iwishtosetoutfromtheonset,thefactsthatledtotherequesttohold andmanageaby-electioninWard1.Thesecondrespondent('Councillor Jonas') isadulyelectedcouncillorandadulyelectedMayorofThembelihle LocalMunicipality.InApril2014theMECbecameawarethatCouncillor Jonas'nameapearedonacandidatelistofapoliticalparty-theEconomic FreedomFighters(theEFF). 3 [4]TheMECrequestedthemunicipalmanagertocallandsetasideadate ordatesforaby-electioninWard1intermsofs25(3)oftheStructuresAct whichprovidesthatthemunicipalmanager, must, afterconsultationwiththe EC,bynoticeinalocalnewspapercallandsetadatefortheby-electionifa vacancyoccurs.TheMECwasobviouslyoftheviewthatavacancyhad occurredbyvirtueofCouncillorJonas'nameapearingonthecandidatelist oftheEFF.ThisviewwasformedbecausetheMECreads27(f)(ii)ofthe StructuresActtomeanthatCouncillorJonashadvacatedhisoffice. [5]Section27(f)(ii)readsasfollows: '27Vacationofoffice: Acouncillorvacatesofficeduringatermofofficeifthatcouncillor- (a)resignsinwriting; (b)isnolongerqualifiedtobeacouncillor; (c)waselectedfromapartylistreferredtoinSchedule1or2 andceasestobeamemberoftherelevantparty; (d)contravenesaprovisionoftheCodeofConductfor CouncillorssetoutinSchedule1oftheLocalGovernment: Municipal SystemsAct,2000, andisremovedfromofficein termsoftheCode; (e)isarepresentativeofalocalcouncilinadistrictcouncil and ceasestobeamemberofthelocalcouncilwhich apointedthatcouncillortothedistrictcounciloris replacedbythelocalcouncilasitsrepresentativeinthe districtcouncil; or (f)waselectedtorepresentawardandwho- 4 (i)wasnominatedbyapartyasacandidateintheward electionandceasestobeamemberofthatparty; or (ii)wasnotnominatedbyapartyasacandidateinthe wardelectionandbecomesamemberofaparty.' [6]Themunicipalmanagerneglectedorfailedtoactintermsofthe requestbytheMEC. TheMECdecidedtoactintermsofs25(4)ofthe StructuresActwhichentitleshim,afterconsultingtheEC,tocallandsetaside adatefortheby-election,whichmustbeheldwithin90daysoftheaplicable date.However,theECrespondedbystating thatonthefactspresentedtoit novacancyhadarisenandthereforeitwasnotinapositiontoacquiesceto therequest. TheECrequiredprooforinformationsuportingthecontention thatCouncillorJonashadindeedjoinedapoliticalparty. [7]ItisclearthattheMECandtheEChadtwodiametricallyoposed viewsontheunderstandingandinterpretationofs27(f)(ii)oftheStructures Act.Putdifferentlytheycouldnotagreewhetherornotavacancyhadarisen. HencetheECwasnotpreparedtocallandmanageaby-election.TheMEC tooktheviewthattheEC'srefusaltomanageaby-electionconstitutedan unlawfuladministrativeaction/decision, whichentitledhimtoaproachthis courttoreviewandsetasidethesaiddecision. [8]Thereviewaplicationcamebeforethiscourton16January2015for hearing. Theaplicant'scounselrequestedapostponementbecauseshe cametoknow,forthefirsttimeonthatday,oftheexistenceofanewspaper 5 articlewhichpurportedtobeaninterviewheldbyCouncillorJonaswhich, it wasargued, containedanadmissionbyCouncillorJonasthathehadbecome amemberoftheEFF. Theaplicationwasoposed, however, thiscourt grantedthepostponementallowingtheaplicantanoportunitytopreparea substantiveaplicationintermsofRule6(5)(e)oftherulesofthiscourt. Furthersuplementarysuportingandoposingaffidavitswerefiled introducingfurtherevidenceincludingtheaforesaidnewspaperarticle. [9]On9April2015duringthehearingofthismatterittranspiredthatboth theEC's andthesecondrespondent'scounselwerenotoposingthe introduction ofthenewspaperarticle. Counselfortheaplicantalsoindicated thatshewasabandoningtheevidenceregardingthepicturesfoundonsocial media, namelyFacebook, ofCouncillorJonaswearingwhatapearedtobe theEFFuniform. Theconcessions werenotedandtheintroductionofthe furtherevidencewasallowed. [10]DuringthediscussionsbetweentheMEC,ECandCouncillorJonas' attorneys, asearlyas30May2014, CouncillorJonas' attorneysconceded thathehadbeenaproachedbyleadersoftheEFFtohavehisnameontheir candidatelistofboththeprovincialandnationalparliamentbecauseofhis experienceandexpertise, towhichCouncillorJonasagreed.Howeverinthe saidcorrespondence, itwascategoricallydeniedthatCouncillorJonaswas everamemberoftheEFFandoranyotherpolitical party. Anaffidavitby CouncillorJonaswasattachedtothesaidcorrespondencewhichcontained, interalia,adenialofeverbeingamemberoftheEFFandafurthersentence 6 thatreads:'Irealised, anditwasconfirmedtomethatyouneednotbea memberoftheEFFtorepresenttheminParliamentorlegislature, aswasthe casewithmembersofSOPAandotherswhoapearedontheirlist'. [11]ThecentralquestiontobeadjudicateduponiswhetherCouncillor JonashadbecomeamemberoftheEFF, apoliticalparty. Ifitisprovedthat hebecameamemberthenintermsofs27(f)(ii)avacancyshallhave occurredandCouncillorJonaswillhavetovacatehisoffice, consequentlythe aplicationwillhavetosucceed.However, iftheaplicantfailstoprovehis membership, theaplicationstandstobedismissed. [12]Politicalrightsandrelatedmattersaregovernedbys19ofthe ConstitutionoftheRepublicofSouthAfricaAct108of1996. Itprovides,inter alia,thateverycitizenisfreetomakeapoliticalchoice, whichincludesthe righttoparticipateintheactivitiesof,orrecruitmembersforapoliticalparty- tostandforpublic officeand,ifelectedtoholdoffice. Itisallaboutchoice-no personcanorshouldbedeemedtobeamemberofapoliticalparty. Thereforetheaplicant's contentionthatCouncillorJonashadbecomea memberofEFFbyoperationoflawcannotbecorrect. Membershipofaparty cannotbeacquiredinvoluntarily.Anofferandacceptancemusttakeplace. [13]Inmyviewthismatterisnotaboutthecorrectinterpretationofsection 27(f)(ii) -theparties, including theaplicant, areadidemonwhats27(f)(ii) means-thatonceacouncilloriselectedtorepresentaward, nothaving 7 beennominatedbyapoliticalpartyasacandidate-whatisusuallyreferred toasanindependentcandidate-he/shemustvacatehis/herofficeifhe/she becomesamemberofapoliticalpartyduringthetermofhis/heroffice. Thereforewhetherthecouncillorhasbecomeamemberofapoliticalparty requiresafactualinvestigationresultinginafactualconclusion. Itisnota matteroflaw. [14]Section27oftheElectoralAct73of1998dealswiththesubmissionof listsofcandidates. Itrequiresregisteredpoliticalpartiesintendingtocontest anelectiontonominatecandidates-itdoesnottalkofmembers-whetheror notthecandidatesnominatedaremembersofthatpoliticalparty, isforthe partyitselftoresolve. Everypoliticalpartyhasrulesandregulationsandin mostcasesithasaconstitutiondeterminingwhomaybeamemberandwho qualifiestobenominatedasacandidate.Thesimplestmannerforthe aplicanttodeterminewhetherCouncillorJonashadbecomeamemberof theEFFwastoaproachtheEFFandrequestaconfirmationofhis membershiporthelackthereof. Thiswasnotdone. [15]ThefactthatCouncillorJonas' nameapearedonthecandidatelistof theEFFdidnotmakehimamember-howeveritmadehimacandidateas requiredbylaw.IagreewithMrMpofuSC,forCouncillorJonas,thatthe wordsmember, candidateorsuporterarenotsynonymous. Foroneto becomeamemberofapoliticalparty, whichisindeedavoluntaryassociation, onemakesachoicetojoinasamemberandthereafterapliesfor membership-itwillbeforthepoliticalpartytodecidewhetherornotto 8 acceptorrejecttheaplication.CouncillorJonashasconfirmed onaffidavit thathewasnotamemberoftheEFF. [16]Asasecondlegofitscontention,theaplicantarguedthatCouncillor Jonasadmittedtoajournalist tohavejoinedapoliticalparty. Thiswasdenied byCouncillorJonas.Fortheaplicanttosucceedinthisrespecttheprinciples enunciatedinPlascon-EvansPaintsLtdvVanRiebeeckPaintsLtd(pty)1984 (3)SA623(A)at634F-Gmustbetakenintoconsideration.VanWykJin StellenboschFarmers' WineryLtdvStellenboschWinery(Pty)Ltd1957(4) SA234(C)at235E-Gsaid: '[W]herethereisadisputeastothefactsafinalinterdictshouldonlybe grantedinnotice ofmotionproceedingsifthefactsasstatedbythe respondentstogetherwiththeadmittedfactsintheaplicant's affidavit justifysuchanorder...Whereitisclearthatfacts, thoughnotformally admittedcannotbedenied, theymustberegardedasadmitted.' CouncillorJonasonseparateoccasionsdeniedhavingbecomeamemberof theEFFasindicatedinparagraph10above.Thiscourtbasedonthegeneral ruleinPlascon-Evanshasnochoicebuttorejecttheaplicant'sversionof eventsandacceptCouncillorJonas' version. [17]TheaplicantcontendedthatbyvirtueofCouncillorJonas' name apearingasacandidateontheEFF's listthat, ipsoiure, madehima memberoftheEFF. Ihaveconcludedandlogicalsofortifiesmyconclusion thatchoiceisfundamentalformembershiptoexist. Inmyviewtheaplicant 9 failedtoprovethatCouncillorJonasbecameamemberoftheEFFthereforeit cannotbesaidthatavacancyarosewhichentitledtheaplicanttorequest theECtomanageaby-electioninWard1oftheThembelihleLocal Municipality. TherefusalbytheECwasjustified, reasonableandlawfulinthe circumstances.Theaplicationstandstofailinitsentirety. [18]Intheresulttheaplicationisdismissed. UDGEJBZSHONGWE CHAIRPERSON OFTHE ELECTORAL COURT MoshidiJ MsPather 10 SUBMISSIONS APPLICANT: LSNThomasSC TKManyase FIRSTRESPONDENT MTKMoeraneSC LGcabashe SECOND RESPONDENT DCMpofuSC DATEOFHEARING: DATEOFORDER: DATEOFJUDGMENT: 09April2015 13May2015