The Electoral Commission has welcomed the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa of the country’s return to Alert Level 1 which allows the resumption of some political activities.
“The relaxation of the restrictions paves the way for the holding of by-elections for municipal ward vacancies which arose since the last by-election in early December,” the IEC said in a statement on Monday.
The President made the announcement of the move to Level 1 in an address to the nation on Sunday.
Under the eased restrictions, political activities including political gatherings of up to 100 people in an indoor venue and 250 people in an outdoor venue are now allowed.
According to the IEC, the outstanding by-elections scheduled to be held on 21 April and 19 May will help to “clear the decks” of vacancies ahead of the Local Government Elections scheduled for between 4 August and 1 November.
A total of 45 by-elections across 37 municipalities in all nine provinces are scheduled affecting 362 431 registered voters.
Under the current Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, the cut-off for the filling of ward vacancies ahead of the elections is 1 May (six months from the latest possible date for the Local Government Elections).
The nine-month deadline for the cessation of by-elections in the case of dissolved municipal councils (1 February 2021) has already passed.
‘The resumption of by-elections is therefore one of the final opportunities ahead of the Local Government Elections for the Electoral Commission, political parties, independent candidates and other stakeholders to test their protocols for campaigning, voter registration, voting and counting of ballots while maintaining COVID-19 safety measures,” said the Commission.
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission was able to conduct free, fair and safe by-elections in November and December last year during the previous Alert Level 1 phase of restrictions. The Commission remains confident that it can conduct further by-elections under the same conditions.
The following by-elections will be held on 21 April 2021 with voter registration planned for 13 – 14 March 2021:
Province Municipality Ward number/s Registered voters
Eastern Cape BUF – Buffalo City 20 8 798
KwaZulu-Natal ETH – eThekwini 6 18 116
KZN292 – KwaDukuza 5 4 350
KZN294 – Maphumulo 5 & 7 8 993
KZN434 – uBuhlebezwe 4 4 754
KZN435 – uMzimkhulu 20 4 765
Limpopo LIM332 – Greater Letaba 15 3 856
Mpumalanga MP305 – Lekwa 11 4 930
North West NW372 – Madibeng 40 6 724
Northern Cape NC062 – NAMA KHOI 2 3 067
NC452 – GA-SEGONYANA 2 3 952
Western Cape CPT – City of Cape Town 20 17 861
WC048 – Knysna 11 2 810
WC053 – Beaufort West 4 3 276
7 provinces 14 municipalities 15 (71 VDs) 96 252
The following by-elections are scheduled for 19 May 2021 with voter registration being planned for 10- 11 April 2021
Province Municipality Ward/s Registered voters
Eastern Cape EC122 – Mnquma 28 4 345
EC124 Amahlathi 11 3 204
EC135 – Intsika Yethu 17 3 325
EC154 – Port St Johns 09 3 450
EC157 – King Sabata Dalindyebo 34 5 673
EC441 – Matatiele 11 3 698
NMA – Nelson Mandela Bay 17 6 857
Free State FS184 – Matjhabeng 35 5 630
FS194 – Maluti a Phofung 25 4 322
Gauteng EKU – Ekurhuleni 43 17 285
JHB – City of Johannesburg 7, 17, 18, 23 74 933
TSH – Tshwane Metro 3, 58, 88, 92 55 768
KwaZulu-Natal ETH – eThekwini 110 19 190
KZN282 – uMhlathuze 15 6 442
KZN242 – Nqutu 11 5 707
KZN262 – uPhongolo 14 3 877
KZN282 – uMhlathuze 15, 22, 30 16 164
Limpopo LIM344 – Makhado 38 5 663
LIM367 – Mogalakwena 23 5 704
LIM476 – Fetakgomo Tubatse 13 6 429
Mpumalanga MP312 – Emalahleni 33 4 731
MP313 – Steve Tshwete 22 3 646
MP325 – Bushbuckridge 21 6 578
6 provinces 23 municipalities 30 wards (184 VDs) 266 179