Will local govt elections get delayed? IEC to make ‘important announcement’ today

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is set to address the nation on Thursday afternoon on what it says is an “important announcement” on a process to review whether the “current conditions are conducive or not” for the local government elections to take place on 27 October 2021.

In a media advisory on Wednesday, the commission said this was the first time such a process “in terms of Section 14(4) of the Electoral Commission Act (51 of 1996)” had been invoked in the history of the country’s democracy.

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South Africa has been under alert lockdown level 1 since February, with the national state of disaster extended until 15 June 2021.

There are fears that the country is entering into the third wave of the pandemic, following a steady rise in Covid-19 infections in recent weeks.

On Wednesday, the Department of Basic Education suspended contact sports at schools in a bid to reduce the number of Covid-19 cases related to school sport.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa in April announced the date for the 2021 local government elections.

Ramaphosa said the ANC was ready for the elections, however, the EFF and the United Democratic Movement have called for the postponement of the polls.

They have argued that the pandemic has made it difficult for political parties to campaign and rally their supporters.

The DA on the other hand wants the elections to go ahead, and said it would oppose moves to delay the elections.

The IEC is expected to hold a press conference at 2pm in Centurion.