The Cape Independence Party reportedly submitted over 11 000 signatures to the IEC to register, but have received no response, nor been registered as a party.
The Cape Independence Party has taken steps to seek clarification from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) regarding its status in the upcoming 2024 Elections - Western Cape Provincial Ballot. Despite submitting more than the required number of supporter signatures, the party has not been included in the list of approved parties released by the IEC.
The CIP was founded in 2007 by Jack Miller, who has led the party all through the movement's long obscurity.
But the CIP may now be facing being eclipsed by the newer Referendum Party, which managed to achieve a place on all three ballots nationwide, and will join the Western Cape branch of the VF+ in a pro-independence electoral pact.
On Friday, 8 March 2024, the Cape Independence Party submitted 11,114 supporter signatures to the IEC, with approximately 7,500 signatures coming from voters registered in the Western Cape. This surpassed the IEC's requirement of 7,176 signatures for eligibility to contest the elections.
Despite multiple attempts to contact the IEC over the past two weeks for confirmation of approval, the party has received no response. The IEC was due to announce any issues of non-compliance or disqualification on Monday, 18 March 2024. However, the Cape Independence Party did not receive any communication from the IEC regarding these matters.
Furthermore, the party noted that the IEC's online platform confirmed the acceptance of their candidate nominations, the receipt of their financial deposit, and the absence of any issues of non-compliance or disqualification. Despite this, the party was surprised to find that their name was missing from the list of approved parties released by the IEC on Tuesday, 26 March 2024.
In light of these developments, the Cape Independence Party has sought legal advice and has decided to approach the Electoral Court to seek clarity and resolution. They remain hopeful that justice will prevail and that their democratic rights will be upheld.
The party has assured its supporters that it will provide updates on the matter as it progresses. It is unclear what the CIP strategy will be if they fail in their legal bid.
