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2 Responses to “14:45: Jonathan on the IEC’s dismal showing”

1. Di Botha says:

   April 23, 2009 at 3:35 pm

   Who protests the loudest that ‘we are not a 3rd world country’, yet delivers exactly like one! The IEC have a lot to answer for; how did they select a polling station that had no power, yet failed to provide power knowing people would be voting till 9? How did the IEC select polling station staff? Did they receive any training ATR ALL?’Botha, Jennifer’s’ name was deleted from the roll because the attendant couldn’t tell the difference between that and ‘Botha, Diane Kathleen’. ‘The stamp’ was being manned by a kid no older than 14, but the electoral officer’s response was ‘3 people did not turn up. This is not my problem’. Could IEC’s useless banners not have carried basic information, instead of a huge IEC logo? – ‘Vote where you registered’, ‘Vote between 07h00 and 21h00′, ‘Toll Free help line…..”See wwww.. for alternate polling stations in your area’.
   The DA missed a few tricks as well! Driving voters to the polling stations was one thing; a simple 1,2,3 of ‘how to vote’ would have helped less informed people. Better informed people were also largely uninformed on options e.g. where there are long queues, go to another station, or if their name wasn’t on a particular roll, the options of the…form, or going to the station where they registered. The party representatives at polling stations should have shown a great deal more initiative, offering advice, or offering to check if your name was on the roll. Offers of a ‘hot line’ to the DA call center? I got blank stares and ‘I’m sorry, I don’t know but here’s a pamphlet on the DA’ from the rep at my station. Hindsight is a science, I know, but ’scenario setting’ is a critical tool in strategic and logistical planning. Better to deploy volunteers for this, rather than manning the phones for 4 hours? I’m available and willing!
2. Nick(UK) says:

   April 23, 2009 at 4:23 pm

   I agree completely with you Di, as well as Sheldon. That’s exactly the perception I got after listening to Jonathan whine about the IEC.
   I mean c’mon..you guys gave all the other parties a complete hiding from the overseas voters!!! As well as clinching above 50% of the votes in the Western Cape..
   I think for everyone thats supporting you..following your blogs..turned up to vote DA..Maybe putting out a few positive blogs would go a whole lot furthur and keep the momentum flowing a lot longer!! No point in sender everyone into a downer!!!