South Africa's election timetable
Nthambeleni Gabara
19 February 20009
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has published the election timetable for South Africa's upcoming national and provincial elections in the Government Gazette.
Last Friday, President Kgalema Motlanthe officially proclaimed 22 April as the date for the country's general election, signalling the closing of the voters' roll.
Special votes
By the end of this week, the IEC will supply the addresses of all voting stations that will be open for inspection by political parties, as well as the route, locations and stopping times of every mobile voting station.
"The IEC will also publish the voters' roll or segments of the voters' roll to be used in the elections," IEC chief electoral officer Pansy Tlakula said on Wednesday.
Voters who cannot vote at a voting station due to physical infirmity or disability or pregnancy have until 14 April to apply to a municipal electoral officer for a special vote.
Voters who will be temporarily out of the country on voting day, and who have notified the IEC, may apply for a special vote at a South African embassy on 20 April between 9am and 5pm.
- For more information on voting, where to vote, what to do if you don't have an ID book, and more, visit the Independent Electoral Commission website.
Political parties and candidates
"The cut-off date for registered political parties to submit lists of their candidates for the election is 2 March at 5pm," IEC chief electoral officer Pansy Tlakula said on Wednesday.
On 6 March, the IEC will notify political parties who submitted a list of candidates, and those who have not fully complied with the requirements of Section 27 of the Electoral Act will have until 10 March to do so.
The inspection of candidates' lists and their documents will be carried out by the IEC on 16 and 17 March from 9am to 5pm.
By 3 April, the IEC will compile a list of the parties entitled to participate in the election and the final list of candidates for each of the parties. "By 7 April the IEC will issue a certificate to each candidate on every list stating that the person is a candidate for the elections," Tlakula said.
Successful applicants will be visited by voting officers on 20 or 21 April.
Source: BuaNews
