On behalf of the Electoral Commission I would like to thank the Chairperson of the Municipal Demarcation Board for inviting me here today to receive the first batch of municipal ward boundaries for the 2016 Municipal Elections.
The handover of the final ward boundaries from the MDB represents a key milestone in the timetable for the delivery of successful municipal elections next year.
I am not sure whether you watched the 400 metre final of the IAAF world championships yesterday but you have probably heard by now that South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk won the race in the fourth fastest time ever.
His success took many months of practice, preparation and planning.
While we have already been working for many months preparing for the upcoming municipal elections, the handover of the final ward boundaries is, in many respects, the starting gun for our final lap of preparations for the elections.
The municipal boundaries and their wards are the foundation for the establishment of an accurate and up-to-date voters’ roll for the municipal elections – which is a critical enabler for a free and fair election.
Without these municipal and ward boundaries we cannot ensure that voters are voting in the wards in which they live, for the candidates who will take responsibility for their areas for the next five years.
Our work now starts in earnest in establishing voting districts, identifying voting station locations and in encouraging all eligible voters to register in their voting districts in order to participate in next year’s elections.
Of course, as has been noted by the Chairperson, this is only the first batch of municipal ward boundaries. While it comprises 75% of municipalities comprising 2 951 wards, it is also a fact that the wards boundaries handed over today have not been impacted by outer municipal boundary changes.
The impact therefore on us – and the voters – is therefore relatively limited.
Still to come are the remainder of the municipal ward boundaries for municipalities which have changed. These present us with a different and more complex task – which includes the important task of identifying those voting districts which have split into new wards.
The voters in these areas need special engagement and communication from us to ensure they are aware of any changes which have impacted on their registration so that they are not disenfranchised or inconvenienced on election day.
This requires house-to-house communication and registration activities which we plan to undertake early in December and early in the new year once we have taken receipt of the final batches of municipal ward boundaries.
The current five year term of municipal councils ends on 17 May 2016. This means that in terms of the Constitution the municipal elections must be held between 18 May 2016 and 16 August 2016.
While the final decision on the date of the elections is made by the Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs after consultation with the Electoral Commission, we pride ourselves on being ready for whatever date is decided.
There are just 264 days left between today and 17 May – including weekends, the annual holiday period in December, the Easter holiday period and a number of public holidays.
The timelines for finalisation of the voting districts have never been this stringent or pressurized.
We are confident of completing our work and preparations for the elections in time. However, there are co-dependencies on the MDB process and any unforeseen delays in finalising the outstanding wards will impact on our timelines.
We are therefore grateful to the staff and leadership of the Municipal Demarcation Board for meeting its undertaking for this first delivery and look forward to the MDB meeting its outstanding obligations as agreed.
An important aspect of a free and fair election is ensuring conditions conducive to free and fair elections - including adequate time prepare, to communicate and to campaign for all stakeholders.
Once again it is with gratitude that we receive the final boundaries for these municipalities.
ISSUED BY THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION
Ensuring free and fair elections
27 August 2015
Centurion
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