Cape Town – Former Statistician-General Pali Lehohla has reportedly suggested that South Africa, facing significant social and political challenges, should consider postponing the upcoming general elections scheduled for next year.
According to SABC, Lehohla expresseed concern that proceeding with the elections could result in a chaotic government, citing the current lack of a clear national agenda and the overwhelming challenges facing the country.
He pointed to recent local government elections where frequent changes in leadership occurred, emphasising the potential for a national coalition leading to widespread chaos from the top to local government levels.
“The idea of a national agenda of South Africa, is completely diluted. We cannot say which direction we are going, be it economically, or socially.
“The challenges have become so overpowering that a moment of pause is crucial. If we go ahead with the elections, we have seen what has happened with local government elections where people are exchanging favours and then it’s the exchange of mayor every day.
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“We are headed for a national coalition, a coalition of sorts and in that coalition that starts at the top and ends at the local government, we’re going to have chaos,” the report quoted Lehohla as saying.
Meanwhile, the Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said last week that President Cyril Ramaphosa will announce the date of the 2024 general elections once the necessary processes have been completed.
Some political parties have expressed concerns about the delay, affecting their election campaign preparations.
Ntshavheni said that the decision rested solely with the president and the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), and discussions with the IEC are ongoing.
“The Constitution leaves strictly between the president and the IEC [Electoral Commission of South Africa] that they must consult each other, and the president must then determine the election date.
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“That election date, there is a prescribed period in terms of our laws to say it must be within which timeframe after the last elections were held. So we don’t want the president in trouble of violating his oath of office or Cabinet influencing his decision to determine the election date [which] remains the sole prerogative of the president,” the minister said.
A recent survey conducted by the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) found that at least 70% of South Africans are set to vote in the 2024 general elections.
The Reconciliation Barometer is a survey done to to measure public opinion in the years following South Africa’s transition to democracy and the subsequent Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Process.
Earlier today, we launched the 2023 SA Reconciliation Barometer during a media event in Cape Town. We invite you to download the report here and to study the findings.https://t.co/afdTGCCVpa pic.twitter.com/ZnaPTyFCtW
— The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) (@_IJR_) December 14, 2023
The survey showed that 70% of South Africans are likely to vote in 2024, which would exceed the 66% turnout in 2019. Voter-confidence in the Malema-led EFF has grown to 32%, a 20% increase since 2017. Support for the ANC has dropped to roughly37% since 2019, with the DA standing at 25%.
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Picture: Twitter/@IECSouthAfrica
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
