Constitutional Court Set to Make a Ruling on Local Government Elections
- The Independent Electoral Commission will have its day in court as the Constitutional Court is set to hear the commission's application on Friday
- The IEC wants ConCourt to postpone the local government elections until next year as recommended in Deputy Chief Justice Moseneke's report
- Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo will preside over the matter and also hear arguments from other invested parties
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JOHANNESBURG - The Constitutional Court headed by Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo is set to hold court proceedings on Friday to preside over the Independent Electoral Commission's application to postpone the local government elections.
The elections have been tabled to take place on 27 October, however, the IEC, on the recommendation of former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke's report, would like the elections to be postponed until February 2022, according to eNCA.
Source: Getty Images
The African National Congress, Economic Freedom Fighters and Inkatha Freedom Party are among a few political parties and organisations in support of a postponement of the municipal elections. While the Democratic Alliance and One South Africa movement would like the elections to continue as scheduled.
Court proceedings are expected to be held all day on Friday, 20 August because of the number of parties involved.
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IFP wants local government elections postponed until May 2022
While the Inkatha Freedom Party has joined the IEC's bid to have the local government elections delayed to a later date, according to SowetanLive, the party wants the elections to rather take place in May 2022 instead of the recommended February 2022.
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.
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.
The party also proposes that elections take place over a three-day period.
IEC Inquiry: Mosekene recommends October local government elections be postponed until 2022
Briefly News previously reported that former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke and the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) briefed the media in Centurion on Tuesday, 20 July as they revealed the findings of a report that looked into the possibility of a free and fair local government election on 27 October.
At the media briefing, Moseneke recommended that the October local government elections be postponed until next year February, according to News24. Moseneke stated that in order for elections to be free and fair, then they should be held no later than the end of the month of February 2022.
Moseneke issued a report based on oral submissions from civil society organisations, political parties, Government as well as health experts. Moseneke added that the findings in his report were not binding.
Source: Briefly News
