Pretoria - The countdown to this year's Local Government Elections has begun, with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) publishing the final election timetable on Friday, which outlines the electoral process until Election Day on 18 May.
Acting Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Nathi Mthethwa, has already proclaimed the election date set for 18 May, subsequently closing the voters' roll to be used in the election.
Briefing the media in Centurion, IEC Chief Electoral Officer Advocate Pansy Tlakula emphasized that the election timetable was legally binding and that all political parties were expected to abide by the dates and cut off times. The IEC publishes the timetable following consultation with various political parties whose representatives were present at Friday's briefing.
"The election timetable gives clarity on every aspect of the electoral process and its key activities as well as the dates and times by which they must take place, the time table is legally binding and there are no discretionary provisions as far as cut off dates and times are concerned," Tlakula said.
The IEC has set 18 March for the certification of the voters' roll to be used for the election, with 25 March being the deadline for all political parties and independent candidates to notify the commission of their intention to participate in the election.
More than 160 political parties had registered with the IEC for the upcoming election, with Tlakuka saying a final list of the candidates contesting was expected to be published on 12 April.
A political party contesting elections in all municipal elections could field a maximum of 9 086 candidates for direct elections and would have to part with a deposit of up to R633 000. The deposit was refundable if a party managed to win at least one seat in the municipal council or if its candidate received at least 10 percent of the total number of votes cast in the ward.
In the case of parties and independent candidates contesting elections in metropolitan councils, a R4 000 deposit for each candidate was payable, R2 500 per local council with wards and R1 500 per local council without wards and per district council.
"Voters living in metropolitan municipalities will have two votes each, one for their ward candidate of choice and one for party of choice. In local councils, they will cast three votes, one for ward and one for party of choice and one for a candidate in the district council," added Tlakula.
The IEC once again called on civil society organisations, political parties and universities to ensure maximum participation in South Africa's fourth municipal elections since the advent of democracy.
