Objections from two political parties has forced the Electoral Commission (IEC) to recount some votes in the Cape Metro. This could affect the seat allocation in the Cape Town Council.

The Cape Independence Party argued that because the abbreviation for their party was C I P, votes in at least 12 voting districts in the city could have been misallocated.

In a statement, Western Cape Provincial Electoral Officer Michael Hendrickse said: “The CIP has alleged that in the LGE 2021 in the Metro, there was a widespread issue of confusion in correlating the abbreviated name of the CIP, namely “CAPEXIT”, as appeared on the ballot papers with the name Cape Independence Party, as it was reflected on the results slips; and therefore they alleged that a number of votes cast in favour of the CIP were not allocated to the CIP as a consequence of such confusion.”

“The CIP had identified 24 voting stations as “critical” Voting Districts on their Objection.  The Commission conducted an investigation in respect of the identified 24 “critical” Voting Districts and based on the evidence obtained from the said investigation, resolved that a recount  be urgently conducted in the presence of the representatives of the political parties and the independent candidates in only 12 of the 24 VD’s that the CIP identified.”

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1/3 The 213 municipal councils across the country now have 14 days within which to hold their first meetings. Municipal managers bear responsibility for convening these first council meetings. pic.twitter.com/ZzGmQS22Eh

— IEC South Africa (@IECSouthAfrica) November 10, 2021

At the same time, the Democratic Alliance has also raised an objection and forced a recount in Avondale, Atlantis and Mamre.

Hendrickse said: “(this) relates to 2 VD’s in Ward 29 viz  VD 97120267 (Parkview Primary School) and  VD 97120346 (Mamre Minor Hall) in the Metro. The recount is for both PR and Ward ballots in the two affected VD’s.”

These recounts could affect the seat allocation for councillors in the Cape Town City Council which is yet to announce the date of its inaugural sitting after the 1 November Local Government Elections.