Cape Town – The Inkatha Freedom Front (IFP) national spokesperson, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, has cautioned the African National Congress (ANC) against scheduling elections on a Friday, suggesting it could negatively impact voter turnout.
According to The Citizen, this warning comes in response to Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s recent statement hinting at a May 24 election date.
“We must go out there, united with one common purpose, to ensure that come the 24th of May, or somewhere around there, when we go to the elections…,” the report quoted Mashatile as saying.
The IFP challenged this date and hoped for May 29 instead.
Hlengwa argued that Friday elections may suppress votes by creating a long weekend, urging the ANC to avoid such scheduling and proposing the elections on May 29 instead.
“We do not support elections on a Friday because they cause voter elections. They are deliberately trying to stifle the vote turnout to prevent people to go to vote by creating a long weekend.
WATCH: IFP MP and national spokesperson, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, says they don’t support having the elections on May 24, 2024 (a Friday) as hinted by deputy president Paul Mashatile. He says this is meant to suppress voter turnout as that will create a long weekend. Hlengwa was… pic.twitter.com/V6bYw20r0B
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) February 18, 2024
“Every time we have elections in South Africa they circulate on a Wednesday in order to maximise voter turnout. We are warning the ANC to refrain from preventing people from going to the elections. Elections on a Friday will not work, in fact, I challenge the ANC to hold the elections on the 29th May,” Hlengwa said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said over a week ago that the announcement of the election date will be made within the next 15 days.
#PresidencyBriefing JUST IN: Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya says President Cyril Ramaphosa will announce the election date within 15 days after #SONA2024 pic.twitter.com/pXWIK7Y5Y6
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) February 7, 2024
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
