Local elections in the balance in the face of level 4 lockdown

The declaration of the lockdown to adjusted alert level 4 has increased the chances for the local government election to be postponed, but political parties and civil society are pointing fingers at the government’s laxity for the worsening pandemic infections.

Even the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) wants a postponement of the 27 October polls, saying on Monday it would “urgently approach the Electoral Court to postpone eight by-elections scheduled for Wednesday 30 June 2021 following the implementation of level 4 lockdown restrictions”.

“The Electoral Commission took the decision to seek the court’s approval to postpone the by-elections at an emergency meeting today [Monday] after the announcement last night by President Cyril Ramaphosa of additional measures to help curb the third wave currently gripping the country,” the IEC said in a statement.

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Congress of the People (Cope) was the first party to shoot the verbal salvo, claiming President Cyril Ramaphosa had failed to heed its call for him to institute a travel ban, including flights to and from India.

Cope’s national spokesperson Dennis Bloem said last month the party had told the president “it will be totally irresponsible … to wait until the situation was out of control” and then place the country back to a total shutdown.

Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Groenewald said the ANC must accept full responsibility for the latest wave because it had failed to prepare healthcare system since the pandemic outbreak.

“The government must specifically be held responsible for the fact that very few South Africans have been vaccinated and the feeble hope that herd immunity will be achieved any time soon.

“The initial target was a vaccination rate of 70% by the end of this year, but it is completely unattainable seeing as thus far, less than 4% of the population has been vaccinated,” he said.

But the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) welcomed the additional restrictions.

“We note the ban on all alcohol sales to provide relief to hospitals, the early winter holidays for schools and the need for restaurants to shift to takeaways only.

“We appreciate the attempt by government to minimise disruptions to the economy whilst seeking to save lives. “However, relief needs to be provided for those sectors of the economy prohibited from trading or required to downscale,” it said.

ericn@citizen.co.za