DA to oppose application to postpone municipal elections
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will oppose the application to the Constitutional Court by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) for the postponement of the local government elections.
The IEC filed the urgent application on Wednesday.
A report by retired former deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke recommended the elections be postponed to February 2022.
He cited health concerns due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the incomplete voters’ roll.
DA leader John Steenhuisen says the elections must go ahead, according to the prescripts of the law.
"Our Constitution prescribes that Local Government Elections must take place within 90 days of the end of the five-year term of municipal councils. It is the IEC’s job - their only job - to see to it that this happens. Even in a disrupted calendar, there are other steps that can be taken to ensure that this fundamental democratic right is preserved before looking to change the Constitution.
"The technicality of not being able to add names to the voter’s roll after the proclamation of the election date - which has now taken place - can be overcome by temporarily suspending the operation of Section 6 of the Municipal Electoral Act, rather than attempting to amend the Constitution to delay elections. It is the Constitutional Court’s duty to protect our Constitution, not change it," said Steenhuisen
He said the party has given the IEC until Friday to confirm it will stick to the date of October 27 and allow for a registration period ahead of the elections.
Failure to do so will see the DA become a party to the constitutional application to oppose the postponement.
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