IEC barrier tape at a voting station. (Photo by Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo)
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) will urgently approach the Electoral Court to postpone eight by-elections scheduled for Wednesday, 30 June following the implementation of Level 4 lockdown restrictions.
In a statement, the IEC said it took the decision to seek the court’s approval to postpone the by-elections at an emergency meeting on Monday after the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa of additional measures to help curb the third wave currently gripping the country.
The IEC said:
Wednesday’s by-elections were the final by-elections scheduled to be conducted prior to the cessation of by-elections ahead of the Local Government Elections scheduled for October this year.
The by-elections scheduled to take place in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu–Natal, Northern Cape and Western Cape across 48 voting stations and involving 71 305 registered voters.