South Africa’s electoral body is making preparations to hold municipal elections by November 1 in line with an order by the Constitutional Court, an official has said.
Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) chairman Glen Mashinini said the commission has set in motion measures to ensure that it complies with the September 3 Constitutional Court order to hold the elections between October 27 and November 1.
“Commission is of the view that it must take all necessary measures to ensure an electoral process that is free and fair, striving for safety within the constraints occasioned by the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic,” Mashinini told journalists on Monday night.
The IEC had applied to the Constitutional Court for an order pushing the local government elections to next year.
In its application to the court, the IEC argued that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it could not organise constitutionally compliant elections for October.
The IEC case was supported by the ruling African National Congress and other parties but the main opposition Democratic Alliance opposed the matter.
Mashinini said registration of voters would take place between 18 and 19 September while some 23,151 polling stations would be opened across the country on election day.
JN/APA