IEC Photo: Flickr / Frank Trimbos
IEC Photo: Flickr / Frank Trimbos
The ANC will be breathing a massive sigh of relief on Monday, after the IEC confirmed it would reopen candidate registrations for the 2021 Local Elections. The ruling party was facing the prospect of having no representatives in almost 100 municipalities due to several admin errors – but they’ve been handed a crucial lifeline.
When is voter registration weekend?
Outlining their stance earlier this afternoon, the IEC explained that the is a ‘reasonable necessity’ to reopen the nomination process, after the Commission was told it’d have to amend the voting timetable. They also handed down the dates for voter registration weekend, which will take place on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 September.
“In line with the orders of the Court, the Commission has advised the Minister that it will be proceeding with the registration weekend on 18 and 19 September. will spare no effort to deliver a credible process guided by the prescripts and electoral jurisprudence arising from our courts.”
The Commission has taken advice on the matter and is of the view that amending the timetable to re-open nominations is reasonably necessary in the circumstances, Mashinini said #IEC2021
— @SAgovnews (@SAgovnews) September 6, 2021
ANC spared, DA fuming over IEC revision
You just knew this decision would rattle the DA, and they are now exploring legal options to oppose the IEC’s ruling. Helen Zille has come out all guns blazing, and she has accused the ANC of ‘asking for a second bite of the cherry’.
“The DA has briefed its lawyers to explore all available legal avenues to oppose the decision by the IEC to reopen its candidate registration process. The IEC today announced its revised election timetable and a registration weekend after the Constitutional Court dismissed its application to have the Local Government Elections postponed until next year.”
“Instead, the Court granted a 5-day delay. This has given the IEC an excuse to reopen the candidate registration process to allow the ANC to register the candidates where it failed to do so by the deadline of 23 August in 93 municipalities. The ANC missed the deadline, and they cannot now demand a second bite at the cherry.”
- The 2021 Local Elections will take place between 27 October to 1 November.
