Cape Town – Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says 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 rests 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.
[Watch live] Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni briefs media on outcomes of special Cabinet meeting held on 8 December 2023 #PostCabinet https://t.co/EqKu303HSg
— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) December 11, 2023
“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 during a media briefing on Monday.
The Constitutional Court recently ruled on the Electoral Amendment Act, impacting the threshold for voters’ signatures.
The IEC is working on electoral system revisions, and the elections are expected to take place between May and August 2024 if proclaimed by early February.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
