Chance to 'fix the country' or just another public holiday? SA weighs in on election date announcement

09 September 2021

South Africans will head to the polls on November 1, co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma announced on Wednesday.

The announcement drew many responses on social media, with some saying they will be casting their vote to “fix the country”, citing shoddy service delivery, corruption and joblessness as some of the reasons they will vote.

The Constitutional Court last week dismissed a bid by the Electoral Commission (IEC) to postpone the elections until February 2022. It ruled the election must be held between October 27 and November 1.

Addressing a media briefing, Dlamini-Zuma said the government could have chosen to hold the election on October 27, a date originally announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa, but settled on a later date to allow the IEC sufficient time to prepare for the election.

Dlamini-Zuma's announcement comes after the IEC on Monday said it will amend the election timetable to allow political parties and independent candidates who missed the August deadline to register their candidates ahead of the elections.

The registrations will take place on the weekend of September 18 and 19.

Dlamini-Zuma said the municipal elections are important for South Africans, as local governments are closest to voters.

Here's what people said in response to the announcement:

Chance to 'fix the country' or just another public holiday? SA weighs in on election date announcement

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