Staff Reporter.
The Electoral Court has postponed the by-elections that were due in eight wards on Wednesday.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) requested a postponement for the by-elections in wards in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. This amid an increase in the Covid-19 infection rate and after President Cyril Ramaphosa moved South Africa to adjusted Alert Level 4 lockdown on Sunday.
The Court also granted the Electoral Commission leave to approach the Court for further relief should it be necessary.
“The Electoral Commission took the decision to seek the court’s approval to postpone the by-elections this week following the implementation of Adjusted Alert Level 4 lockdown restrictions which prohibit almost all public gatherings including political gatherings,” the Electoral Commission said in a statement.
“The Electoral Commission will continue to assess the prevailing conditions including the level and scope of restrictions imposed in terms of the Disaster Management Act to determine an appropriate date for the by-elections to be held,” the Commission said.
The Electoral Commission will engage with the relevant provincial MECs for Cooperative Governance other key stakeholders including political parties and candidates who are registered to contest the by-elections in this regard.
Today’s by-elections were to have taken place in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu–Natal, Northern Cape and Western Cape across 48 voting stations and involving 71 305 registered voters.
They were to have been contested by 40 candidates from 14 political parties and three independent candidates.
The eight postponed by-elections are as follows:
- Eastern Cape: Ward 03 in the Makana Municipality – EC104.
- KwaZulu-Natal: Ward 98 in the eThekwini Municipality – ETH; Ward 05 in the eDumbe Municipality – KZN261.
- Northern Cape: Ward 01 in the Sol Plaatje Municipality – NC091.
- Western Cape: Ward 51 in the City of Cape Town Municipality – CPT; Ward 63 in the City of Cape Town Municipality – CPT; Ward 01 in the Cederberg Municipality –WC012; Ward 02 in the Swartland Municipality –WC015.
Meanwhile, retired deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke continued his hearings into whether the local government elections could be free and fair under current pandemic conditions.