Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Sicelo Shiceka will "take further consultations" on the possibility of holding a single election [including a national and local government vote] in the future before raising the matter with the Cabinet.

Shiceka said at a media briefing in Cape Town on Wednesday that the benefits of holding one election "were very simple".

"They are going to ensure that we don't have election fatigue. When we have elections two and a half years later, there is another election... It means there is no time for stability for us to focus on service delivery.

"It is going to assist on planning. When we plan, we have one plan."

A single ballot will allow political parties to carry out their manifestos, he said.

"...You have one manifesto you are able to execute it in five years," he said.

Shiceka said the matter had been presented to all structures of the African National Congress, but was still to go to the Cabinet.

"We will be taking further consultations on the matter," he said.

A single election would also allow top personnel to be deployed to municipalities, which were a priority.

"On the issue of deployment of personnel on people who represent political parties... What is happening now is that the best cadres are in national government. The second coach of the train is in provincial government and the last coach becomes local government.

"You find that we don't have the best of the best in local government."