ConCourt delays could impact IEC’s preparation for 2024 Elections

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) is hoping for quicker finalisation of Constitutional Court (ConCourt) cases that have a bearing on its work for the 2024 general election.

Delays could affect the preparations currently underway by the IEC.

The ConCourt is yet to finalise the number of seats that independent candidates should contest in the National Assembly.

Of the 400 seats in the House, the independents are expected to contest 200.

But in court, the Independent Candidates Association (ICA) argued for the independents’ seat allocation to be increased to 350 to help their vote threshold drop from 86 532 to obtain a single seat to 43 703 votes.

The ICA asked for the amendment to the Electoral Act to be declared unconstitutional.

But this was opposed by Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi on grounds that if independents got more seats than proposed in the Electoral Amendment Act, this could cause an electoral crisis.

Currently only political parties are contesting the 400 seats.

These are allocated proportionally according to votes obtained on the national-to-national and provincial-to-national lists.

But under the new dispensation where independents would contest, the split was 200 for parties in the House and 200 for regional to national with independents and parties featuring.