| National and Provincial Elections 2024: The dawn of a new era in South Africa |
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| Published 2024-07-24 |
| Author Kgosietsile Tshoke |
| Attachment |
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National and Provincial Elections 2024: The dawn of a new era in South Africa - contributed by Kgosietsile Tshoke, Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC)- Refer to the attachment above (Summary) On April 17, 2023, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Electoral Amendment Act into law, allowing independent candidates to contest national and provincial elections. This change came after a lengthy battle to enable such candidates to hold office as public representatives in the National Assembly or any of the nine provincial legislatures. The first elections under this new law were held on May 29, 2024, marking the first time since 1994 that independents could compete alongside political parties for these positions. Previously, independents could only contest local government ward elections. In the recent elections, voters received three ballot papers for national, regional, and provincial elections, while South African citizens abroad only received a national ballot. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) had to reconfigure various systems to accommodate these changes, including voter registration and ballot paper generation systems. The Voter Management Device (VMD), introduced in 2021, was also upgraded for better election monitoring and management. Despite the legislative and logistical challenges, including court battles, these elections signified a new era in South African politics, introducing independent office bearers into the political landscape. This development is seen as a significant shift, promising to alter the dynamics of future elections in the country.
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