Cape Town - The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has welcomed the signing into law of the Electoral Amendment Bill by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday.
The commission’s chairperson, Mosotho Moepya, said the assent provided the necessary legal certainty required to prepare for the 2024 national and provincial elections.
“Such certainty in the legal framework can only augur well for the Electoral Commission, the voting public, possible contestants, observers and other interested stakeholders,” Moepya said.
The bill was formulated after the Constitutional Court found in June 2020, that the Electoral Act was unconstitutional by only allowing election to the Parliament and legislatures through membership of political parties.
Moepya said for the first time individuals who were not associated with political parties would stand as candidates for election into legislatures and the National Assembly.
He also said it committed the country to a process of electoral reform beyond the 2024 elections.
“Now that the policy choices for the coming elections have been made, the Electoral Commission will move with deliberate speed to finalise the supporting business applications necessary for the implementation of the Act.”
Moepya said the commission would rewrite the candidate nomination system to facilitate the participation of independent candidates and unrepresented political parties, together with a portal to enable candidates to capture the details of voters who support their candidature.
It will also redevelop the Results System to facilitate the recording of votes cast in favour of independent candidates and translating these into seats where the relevant threshold is met.
Moepya said the commission had now approved an integrated chart of electoral milestones which contained all activities and timelines.
“Ahead of each election, the Electoral Commission undertakes registration drives to register new voters and to enable already registered voters to inspect and where necessary update their registration details.
“These drives result in updating the voters’ roll.”
The next voter registration weekend is scheduled over the weekend of November 18-19 to register new voters and to facilitate inspection of the roll.
Moepya said those with access to the internet may register, inspect and update their details at any time before the proclamation of the elections by visiting www.elections.org.za.
“Voters may also visit the local offices of the commission in each municipality or take advantage of the various activation campaigns that the commission will undertake in various areas to register and update their details,” he said.
Cape Times