RAMAPHOSA ANNOUNCES DATE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the date for South Africa’s local government elections.

On Wednesday 27 October 2021, voters will go to the polls to choose leaders at metropolitan, district and local levels.

In a statement released by government, the president urged eligible voters to ensure they are registered to participate in the elections, which provide the basis for development and service delivery, closest to where they live.

During April, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announced its plans to introduce a new voting management device for the 2021 municipal elections, reports Business Tech. These next-generation devices will replace the ‘zip-zip’ devices that have been used up until now.

Last week, the announcement that the President will soon confirm the election date was met with backlash. Both the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) requested that the date be postponed, as the parties fear it could become a super spreader event for COVID-19.

Image credit: Daily Maverick