Leader of Economic People’s forum(EFF) in South Africa Julius Malema witnessed a rare disappointing scenario at the poll stations after an official of the Electoral in his country instructed his wife to remove a fake nail before voting.
Malema was with wife Mantwa Malema. The pair were voting at the Mponegele Primary School in Seshego, Limpopo.
He lashed out at an electoral official whom he claimed had a pair of scissors for the sole purpose of removing women’s nails.
Malema said he found the instruction “bizzare” because there was no such a rule and he approached the electoral officer who cleared Mantwa to vote.
Malema said: “There was some IEC staff member who said to my wife she must take off her nail so that they can put a mark and I found that bizzare. You cannot have such a patriarchal arrangement happening inside the voting station. The electoral officer came and said she can vote with her nail.
“But the person who puts a mark on people has a scissorS there and she uses these scissors to take your nails out,” said an angry Malema.
The EFF leader urged electoral officials to know voting rules by heart and avoid being controlled by emotions.
“The next thing they are going to say that women must take out weaves because they want to see if it is them on their IDs.
“Such nonsensical things, it starts small like that and before you know it, it is something like that is institutionalised. It must be challenged even now,” Malema said.
He, however, reserved praise for electoral body saying the process was quicker and well-organised.