IFP Wants Local Government Elections Postponed, Joins IEC ConCourt Application

• The Inkatha Freedom Party is the latest organisation to join the Independent Electoral Commission's efforts to have the local government elections postponed
• Unlike the IEC, the IFP says they would rather have the elections postponed until May 2022 than February 2022
• The political organisation says they are committed to ensuring the local government elections are free and fair

The Inkatha Freedom Party made an announcement on Saturday that the party has made an application to join the Independent Electoral Commission's (IEC) Constitutional Court bid to have the local government elections postponed to a later date next year.

The IEC has per recommendation by Deputy Chief Justice Dikang Mosenke made an application to the ConCourt to postpone the elections until February 2022, however, the IFP would like to elections to be postponed until May 2022, according to SowetanLIVE.

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IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa says the four-month postponement being sought by the IEC is not enough time to adequately prepare for the local government elections.

“As the relief sought will only provide for one postponement, we suggest that the revised date for the local government elections be May 29, 2022,” said Hlabisa.

Hlabisa says the time frame proposed will not be sufficient due to a number of factors, including the ability of elections to be declared free and fair, as well as health concerns related to the Covid-19 outbreak.

According to The Witness, the party also proposes that the elections should be held over a three day period to reduce the number of people being gathered on a single day for elections.

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The party has also vowed to continue advocating for the postponement of elections so that South Africans can have free and fair elections as required by the Constitution of the country.

Civil society groups ask for local government elections to continue

Briefly News previously reported that two civil society groups, namely the Active Citizens Movement (ACM) and the Helen Suzman Foundation, has asked the Moseneke Inquiry not to postpone the upcoming local government elections happening in October.

They have concerns that postponement of the local government elections could jeopardise the status quo of elections being free and fair.

The Moseneke Inquiry, which is headed by Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke, has been hearing oral testimony in regard to the local government elections since Monday.

According to News24, the civil society groups believe that elections may continue if safe and reasonable Covid-19 measures are put in place.

Source: Briefly News