Issued by: Ministry of Provincial Affairs and Constitutional Development
MEDIA STATEMENT BY MR R P MEYER, MINISTER OF PROVINCIAL AFFAIRS AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
I have been requested to authorise the postponement of the election date in 5 Eastern Cape rural areas. Section 9(1) of the Local Government Transition Act grants me the authority to postpone elections to dates later than 1 November 1995, but apparently only in the cases of areas where local authorities were unable to make the necessary arrangements in time for holding elections on 1 November.
This is clearly not the case with the 5 rural areas. The problems do not relate to preparations, but to difficulties experienced by a specific party regarding registration.
I have therefore been advised that I might exceed my authority by granting extension in these cases and shall not do so. Suggestions about ways to resolve the issue by amending the elections regulations, however, have been made to the Eastern Cape provincial election administration by the Local Government Election Task Group.
CAPE TOWN 20 OCTOBER 1995
ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF PROVINCIAL AFFAIRS AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT