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All systems are in place for South Africans who are registered to vote in the Local Government Elections on 18 May, Wednesday to participate in another peaceful, free and fair election in the 10 years of democratic local government that citizens have enjoyed since the year 2000.
Acting Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nathi Mthethwa, on 7 March published the proclamation announcing 18 May 2011 as the election date and effectively handed all elections-related processes to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to run with its elections programme.
However, the government’s Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on elections, which he chairedstill, remained responsible for the overall coordination and monitoring of all support activities from government to ensure that the IEC is enabled to conduct a peaceful, free and fair 2011 local government election.
“All the Ministers represented in the IMC lead portfolios which are key to a peaceful, free and fair election. They have all confirmed their state of readiness in ensuring that registered South Africans of voting age exercise this basic democratic right on the 18th in an environment that is conducive to a successful election,” Minister Mthethwa said.
The IMC consists of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs(CoGTA) and the Departments of Home Affairs, Police Services, Defence and Military Veterans, State Security as well as the Presidency, the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB), South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and the IEC and was set up by the Minister to prepare for the upcoming Local Government elections.
All the key stakeholders in the IMC and related institutions have reported readiness in all provinces to ensure proper processes and systems before, during and after the elections on Wednesday.
All provincial governments have also reported readiness in complying with all legislative requirements in preparation for the election and to continue supporting municipalities in ensuring readiness.
The term of office of the current municipal councils commenced on 1 March 2006, and expired on 2 March 2011.
As a result of the re-determination of municipal boundaries and the delimitation of wards by the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB), the post 18 May local government landscape will usher in a total number of 278 municipalities (previously 283) and the number of wards increasing from 3895 to 4277.
To ensure that an opportunity is given to each and every citizen of voting age to exercise this right, the Local Government: Municipal Electoral Amendment Act, 2010 has ensured a special vote in the elections which will enable the disabled, elderly, sickly to cast their vote two days before the 18th subject to application being approved by the IEC.