DA welcomes Constitutional Court judgment. We’re ready for the elections

3 September 2021

The Democratic Alliance welcomes the Constitutional Court judgement handed down this afternoon in which the IEC’s application to have the Local Government Elections postponed was dismissed. This is a milestone victory for both our democracy and our Constitution.

The people of South Africa have a Constitutional right to elect their local governments within the mandated time period, and we are satisfied that the Constitutional Court stood firm and upheld this right. In doing so, the highest court in the country has given the people of South Africa faith by demonstrating that it remains the backstop of our democracy.

Given the fact that the IEC has one job to do, which is to ensure that free and fair elections take place within the Constitutionally mandated timeframe - and given this resounding rejection of their attempt to deny voters this fundamental right - it is perhaps time for the Chairperson of the IEC, Glen Mashinini, to reconsider his future in the organisation.

Now that this attempt to subvert the Constitution and deny voters their rights has been defeated, our country can put this whole episode behind it and look ahead to a registration weekend, followed by a free and fair election. All parties that played by the rules and did their homework in preparing for the proclaimed election date should welcome this decision.

 The DA is well on track in its preparations. For the first time we have registered a candidate in every single ward in the country, our lists are submitted and our deposits paid. Our Metro mayoral candidates have been announced, and their campaigns are already underway.

 We are ready. Bring it on!

Issued by John Steenhuisen, Leader of the Democratic Alliance, 3 September 2021