IEC in court bid to have lease set aside

In court papers, the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) claims its former chairwoman Pansy Tlakula unlawfully committed the commission to nearly R83m in expenditure that was not procedurally fair, transparent, or competitive.

 

The newspaper reported that according to the founding affidavit filed by IEC deputy chairman Terry Tselane, Tlakula did not follow a fair procurement process before signing two addenda to the lease to incur additional immovable and movable fitting-out expenses worth R22.6m and nearly R60 respectively.

 

The addenda also allowed for unlimited fitting-out expenses at a two percent commission to Abland, the property development firm awarded the lease.

 

Before the May 7 general election several political parties took Tlakula to court claiming her integrity had been compromised.

 

This followed an investigation by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela into the procurement of the commission's Riverside Office Park building.

 

Madonsela found Tlakula had a relationship, possibly of a romantic nature, with then chairman of Parliament's finance portfolio committee Thaba Mufamadi. Mufamadi was a shareholder in Abland.

 

The Electoral Court found her conduct warranted her removal from office. Her application to the Constitutional Court for leave to appeal the lower court's ruling was dismissed.

 

Tlakula resigned in September.

 

 

(File photo: Getty images)