The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has welcomed the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa setting the 2024 National and Provincial Elections date for 29 May.
“This pronouncement of the Election Date provides an unambiguous motivation for the Commission to pull out all the stops in the intensification of preparations for Election Day. The Electoral Commission reiterates its commitment and readiness to ensure a successful 2024 general elections,” the Commission said in a statement.
Following the announcement, Ramaphosa convened a meeting with all nine provincial Premiers and the IEC officials to discuss the state of readiness for the General Elections.
READ MORE: IEC concludes revision of voting district boundaries.
“It creates certainty for us. It creates certainty for those who want to participate as contestants, be they on party lists or as independent candidates,” said IEC Deputy CEO, Masego Shiburi.
Shiburi said the President announced the date in consultation with the Commission, as that is the statute requirement.
“With each election, the number of competing parties increase. For these elections, we will also have independent candidates and their numbers are still indeterminate because candidate nomination is yet to open,” he explained.
Once the UEC finalises candidate nomination, it will be able to print ballots and make them available to those who will be voting.
The announcement of the Election Date comes after the successful voter registration campaign, which included two general registration weekends, an overseas voter registration drive, campus activations and registration within Correctional Services centres.
According to the IEC, more than 27 million South Africans are registered to vote and 14 million others remain unregistered but are eligible to do so.
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