South Africa: Did the IEC purchase low quality marking pens to cut costs? By News24
News24 understands that the amount per pen which the commission paid was less than the amount paid in the 2016 local government elections.
The purple ink mark is a critical safeguard against voter fraud, and it is specifically supposed to stain the finger for several days so that voters cannot vote twice. Ultimately, the tender documents show that there is no way the winning bidder should have been able to supply ink that rubs off. It is seemingly clear that the pens provided to the IEC did not meet these standards, and eyewitness accounts of this abounded on Wednesday.
– The indelible finger marking ink pens must be a unique ink with an inherent ability to withstand removal by washing, rubbing, or other mechanical means, after application.The bidding documents state that the IEC wanted to see at least two samples of the product from prospective suppliers before the tender would be awarded. An industry expert, who has vast experience in elections procedures both locally and abroad, who tested one of the samples, said the ink was below par.
But National Treasury could not provide the money, with the national fiscus being extremely constrained.
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