By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Electoral Court on Friday held the virtual hearings on matters that must be resolved before the finalisation of the political party candidate lists.
During the signing of the electoral code of conduct on Thursday, the Electoral Commission of South Africa urged political parties to approach the upcoming polls with “peace and tranquillity” by adhering to the electoral rules.
The IEC said, that the list of political parties that will contest next month’s national elections will be finalised once all matters being heard in the Electoral Court are concluded.
The electoral body’s Commissioner Dr Nomsa Masuku said they don’t expect the number to exceed 50.
Masuku was speaking at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Johannesburg, on the sidelines of a ceremony in which leaders of political parties as well as independent candidates signed the national Code of Conduct.
“We are expecting 55 political parties to contest the national elections – that number is not going to solidify until the Electoral Court has heard all the matters that are before it. That is why the number seems to be fluid; it’s fluid because until the Electoral Court pronounces on the review of the decisions of the commission, we don’t have an absolute number.”
Meanwhile, the IEC has confirmed that it had filed its court papers following the uMkhonto weSizwe party’s appeal against it.
The party’s appeal comes after the commission’s decision to uphold the objections of MK party leader and former President Jacob Zuma from appearing on the list of Parliamentary candidates.
Masuku said the party’s appeal is one of the six that have been lodged in the Electoral Court.
Last month, the IEC made the lists of names of independent and political party candidates available for inspection at its national office, at all its nine provincial offices and at local municipal offices.
The final list of candidates contesting the elections will be published by the Commission on April 10.
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Video Courtesy of SABC.