Cape Town — The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of South Africa welcomed the decision by the Electoral Court to dismiss the application of five political parties to be on the election ballots.
The Court made a consolidated decision on all five applications and made an identical order to dismiss all of them. The Court said it would provide reasons behind the decision to dismiss the applications, a statement read.
five parties who will not be contesting the elections are: Operation Dudula; Arise South Africa; Cape Independence Party; Defenders of the People; and Independent South Africa National Organisation (Isanco).
[Media Statement] Electoral Commission statement on decisions of the Electoral Court.
The Electoral Commission welcomes the orders of the Electoral Court to dismiss five cases against Commission. pic.twitter.com/xaG0Y8MPuv
— IEC South Africa (@IECSouthAfrica) April 19, 2024
“The decision by the Electoral Court has cleared the path for the Commission to begin with the mammoth task of printing the ballot papers for the 2024 National and Provincial Elections which take place on 29 May 2024,” the Commission said.
According to EWN, Isanco, which is part of the Democratic Alliance-led multiparty charter for South Africa, will join the Cape Independence Party and Defender s of the People by being completely absent from the ballots, while Operation Dudula and Arise SA failed to get onto the national ballot, however they will be on the provincial ballots.
All five parties argued that they missed their submission deadline due to the IEC’s faulty systems however the electoral court has rejected their arguments.
The IEC also reminded voters that they will receive three ballot papers, instead of two, for this year’s elections. South African will cast a vote for the National, Regional or Province-to-National Ballots, as well as Provincial Ballots.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
