The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) expects us to believe that it’s not an anomaly to appeal an order without seeing the judgment. The urgency doesn’t even arise, considering that the matter still resides with the electoral court which is due to deliver a judgment regarding the objection raised on the candidacy of former president Jacob Zuma. So why is the IEC desperate to appeal a pending outcome? It had ample time within its powers to seek “clarity” upon receipt of the objection, if indeed the matter was peculiar to itself. Besides, a prejudice to Zuma outweighs any prejudice to the IEC. How do we know for sure that there are no ulterior motives?

All this creates a suspicion of the IEC playing politics that could potentially get some questioning its independence to boycott the upcoming elections. A similar anomaly stirred up riots that caused our beloved country to go downhill, robbing the innocent of their lives. It laid bare a vacuity of the divine finesse within the judiciary.

Yet, the IEC is taking the plunge with the Constitutional Court which has not been forgiven for misdirecting itself. The apex court failed to order former state capture commission chairperson Raymond Zondo to exhaust all remedies available at the high court then for Zuma to be afforded a fair trial.

Instead, it allowed chief justice Raymond Zondo to abandon the case and unjustly seek its direct access to misjudge Zuma, hoping that he will not make a comeback. Now the elections are going to be held to ransom by a miscalculated blunder of these blindfold actors of justice. The IEC should really reconsider its decision. One thing for sure, Mhlanganyelwa is ready for a battle with the IEC and will pull no punches.

Morgan Phaahla, Ekurhuleni