WALLIS AJ registered and permitted to vote in ward 18 even though they were not entitled to do so, because they were not resident in the ward when they registered. He suspected that his political opponents had orchestrated these improper registrations so as to ensure his defeat at the polls. Whether and, if so, to what extent his suspicions of electoral impropriety were justified is a matter to which I will revert. [7] On 20 September 2013, when preparations were underway for further by-elections to be held on 23 October 2013, Mr Kham sought information from the IEC concerning the registration of voters in all wards in which by-elections were held in Tlokwe, both on his own behalf and on behalf of members of his group. The request was made formally in terms of PAIA.9 Some documents were furnished to him pursuant to this request on 1 November 2013. These too will be dealt with later. [8] The further by-elections scheduled for 23 October 2013 were to take place in wards 1, 4, 11, 12, 13 and 20. Objections were lodged to this date with the IEC, on behalf of those of the applicants who wished to contest them. As a result, the by-elections were postponed.10 A fresh date was fixed for 11 December 2013. This date also attracted an objection, this time that it was inconvenient to voters because of its proximity to the Christmas holiday season. The IEC rejected the objection and it plays no further role in the events leading up to the present litigation. [9] Once again the spectre of improper registration of voters in the wards where by-elections were to be held reared its head. In addition the segments of the national voters’ roll to be used for the purposes of the by-elections were only given to candidates on 4 December 2013, instead of 26 November 2013, the date applicable in accordance with the electoral timetable published by the IEC.11 The segments of the voters’ roll for each ward given to the candidates were unhelpful in that they did not 9 Promotion of Access to Information Act 4 of 2000. 10 In terms of section 8 of the Municipal Electoral Act. 11 The date on which the candidates were certified as such. 6