Local government elections date announced
Local government elections will be held on Wednesday, 27 October 2021.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has said that this year’s local government elections will be among the most challenging it has faced yet.
The IEC said that campaigning and mobilizing citizens, as well as conducting registration and elections in-person as required by the legal framework will present unique challenges under COVID-19 conditions. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced recently that the local government elections will be held on Wednesday, 27 October 2021.
The announcement allows the Electoral Commission and all other stakeholders to begin their preparations to ensure South Africa’s sixth municipal council elections are free, fair and safe
The IEC said that political parties have been invited to raise any issues or concerns regarding the elections including the impact of COVID-19 on conditions conducive to free and fair elections.
A number of parties tabled their concerns regarding restrictions on political gatherings and other constraints to campaigning under the current national state of disaster regulations. Some parties have proposed postponing the elections in light of the pandemic.
The IEC further said that the central view of this opinion is that a postponement to the elections would only be possible following a statutory amendment.
and originally published in theWith this in mind, the Commission has proceeded to plan for the holding of Local Government Elections within the current Constitutional timeframe. That being said, the Commission will deliberate on the issues, concerns and suggestions raised by parties to consider how these may be accommodated.