The IEC has confirmed that Jacob Zuma's face will appear on the May 29 ballot paper. (Darren Stewart/Gallo Images)
- The IEC has announced that Jacob Zuma's face will appear on the ballot paper after the MK party leadership shake-up.
- The newly formed party had previously threatened violence if Zuma's face was blocked.
- Find everything you need to know about the 2024 general election here. News24's election hub.
The South African Electoral Commission (IEC) has confirmed that Umkhonto Wisizwe (MK) party leader Jacob Zuma's face will appear on the May 29 ballot paper.
The newly formed party had previously threatened violence if Zuma's face was hidden from ballot papers.
IEC Deputy CEO Masego Chebli said: “I can confirm that the face of the Umkhonto Wisizwe party on the ballot paper is Mr Jacob Zuma. This is because they have been notified.”
“Mr [Jabulani] Khumalo is no longer the party leader. Mr Zuma is the official leader of the party. ”
Regarding the IFP, Chebli added that the party used the face of the late Mangosuthu Buthelezi in its election hearings and in its regalia, but its leader was Belenkosini Hlavisa.
“Therefore, only Mr. Hlavisa's face will appear on the ballot paper.”
He said the IEC does not interfere in how political parties manage their election activities.
“Section 68 of the Electoral Act gives the Commission broad powers to determine the design, look and feel identifiers of ballot papers.”
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Regarding South Africans voting overseas, Chevri said embassies, consulates and high commissions are considered voting stations.
“The Electoral Tribunal, after hearing previous arguments, applied the remedy that honorary consul should be read to mean consulate.
“However, there is still no reason not to give us the perception that we are second-guessing this judgment or that we are unwilling to abide by the court's decision.
“We have written to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, which has jurisdiction over foreign missions, to establish the steps to be taken in the remaining period until the election to give effect to the court order.”
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He was referring to the DA's victory in court after writing a letter to the IEC and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation asking them to use embassies, high commissions and consulates as voting stations.
Regarding observers and observer missions, Mr. Chebli said, international best practice is that when observer missions are sent, they are constituted by multilateral organizations such as SADC, the African Union, or independent NGOs that are not part of national structures. He said that this is true.
“We have never had to deal with a sovereign state. We welcome observers and in every election we send accredited observers from multilateral organizations, NGOs and democracy-building institutions. doing.”
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IEC CEO Sai Mamabolo updated the media on the progress of preparations for the May general elections, saying on 12 April certificates had been issued to 14,889 candidates contesting 887 seats. .
Mamabolo added that after a verification and challenge process, the IEC published the names of 70 political parties and 11 independent candidates on its website.
“Fifteen political parties are contesting all stages of the election: parliamentary alternate seats, nine state-to-national elections and nine state assemblies.
“A total of 31 political parties will contest national elections for the first time.''
He said the country's 27.79 million registered voters will receive three ballot papers to elect candidates to represent them in parliament and local councils.
“A total of 400 seats are being contested in the National Assembly.
“The 200 seats for proportional representation are contested only by political parties, and this tier of parliament has its own ballot paper.
“The remaining 200 local or state-to-national seats will be contested by independent candidates and political parties.
“This tier of parliament will also have its own ballot paper. This means parliamentary elections will be held on the basis of two ballot papers.” [national ballot and the newly introduced regional or province-to-national ballot]. ”
A list of 23,292 polling station addresses used in the elections is published on the IEC website.
