R300 million budget slash for IEC for 2019 general elections

National Treasury has reportedly slashed the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) budget by R300 million from the 2014 general elections allocation.

SowetanLive reports that the IEC will have to carry out the elections in 2019 with a budget R300 million less than the amount budgeted in 2014 which cost just over R1.5 billion, resulting in the commission having to run one registration drive in the beginning of the year rather than the two which had initially been planned.

The commission reportedly estimates that the 2019 general elections will rack up a bill of R1.2 billion.

The budget slash was reportedly a result of the country’s budgetary constraints.

The publication reports that R550 million was allocated from this year’s budget for next year’s elections and that an additional R650 million will be set aside for the IEC in 2019.

The commission reportedly expects that the 2019 general elections will be held in May.

The chief electoral officer of the IEC Sy Mamabolo was quoted as saying that due to the country’s fiscus being constrained, there is only so much that can be shared.

Mamabolo reportedly said that after Treasury rejected the IEC’s request for more funds, the commission took the decision to alter its plans for next year’s elections.

Mamabolo was quoted as saying that had the IEC had more money, maybe a second registration drive would have been held.

More than R400 million has reportedly been spent by the IEC for this year’s registration drive.

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)

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