IEC invites public comments on proposed rates to be paid by political parties for municipal elections

The Electoral Commission invites the public to comment on the proposed rates of election deposits for the October 27 local government elections.

This follows the publication last week in the Government Gazette by the Chief Electoral Officer of proposed deposits to be paid by parties and independent candidates intending to contest the elections scheduled for the municipal elections.

The proposed rates, among others, include R3500 to contest an election in a metropolitan municipality; R2000 in a local municipality with wards; R1000 for an election in a district municipality; and R1000 for an election in a ward if the party is not contesting PR election or an independent ward candidate.

The IEC in a statement said the proposed amounts are unchanged from those set in the Municipal Elections 2016.

“They reflect a decrease of between 50% (for independent candidates and those choosing to contest a single ward), 12.5% (for those contesting metro councils) and 20% (for those contesting local councils) since Municipal Elections 2011,” said the Commission.

Under the proposal, a political party contesting all elections across the country, would pay a deposit of R482 000 for a total of 4 725 elections and ballot papers on which the party and its candidates would appear.

This compared to R605 000 for contesting all 10 elections in national and provincial elections in 2019.

The Commission said it should be noted that it was yet to make a determination with regard to the amount of the election deposits for Municipal Elections 2021 and will accordingly consider all representations and comments in arriving at a final determination prior to the opening of candidate nominations.

Candidate nominations are scheduled to open after the official proclamation of the Municipal Elections 2021 by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on August 2.

Representations and comments must be submitted by 4pm on Friday July 2 to the Electoral Commission for the attention of Kgosietsile Tshoke at deposits@elections.org.za or may be delivered to Election House, Riverside Office Park, 1303 Heuwel Avenue, Centurion, 0157.