Mixed reaction to Moseneke’s call to postpone local elections
Former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke’s call to postpone the local government elections has been met with mixed reaction.
Moseneke has released a report advocating for the October local elections to be pushed back to February 2022.
The report follows extensive consultation with various stakeholders including political parties, unions, religious bodies, and the public before submitting the final report to the commission.
Members of the medical fraternity also provided insights on the implications of heading to the polls amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) welcomed Moseneke’s recommendations.
“The EFF welcomes the findings by the Independent Electoral Commission’s inquiry into the feasibility of free and fair elections, which has found that to hold elections in October 2021 will not be free and fair according to the provisions of the Constitution and relevant legislation,” the party said in a statement.
“The former deputy chief justice echoed the sentiments of the EFF, that voters will not be able to exercise rights that are necessary for free and fair elections, and that political parties and independent candidates will be unable to canvass and interact with the electorate under the current deadly pandemic and associated regulations and restrictions.”
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The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) also agreed that the pandemic is a major stumbling block.
“The health and safety of our people must always come first - we must never allow our people to become mere voting fodder,” said IFP chief whip Narend Singh.
“Although we welcome the recommendation to postpone until February 2022, the IFP reiterates its call for the the LGE [local government elections] to be postponed until May 2022 - as we have on previous occasions.”
But the Democratic Alliance (DA) maintains it’s not in favour of a postponement.
The DA’s spokesperson Siviwe Gwarube said the opposition party will now study the report before deciding on a way forward.
“The DA does not support the postponement of the LGE. We have said from the start that it is possible to hold elections within Covid-19 protocols.”
