President Ramphosa assents to the Electoral Amendment Bill
17 April 2023
President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the Electoral Amendment Bill of 2022.
The Bill provides for the amendment of the Electoral Act, 1992 (Act No. 73 of 1998) and gives effect to the Constitutional Court judgment that was handed down on the 11 June 2020.
The judgment in the matter of the New Nation Movement NPC & others V President of the Republic of South Africa & others, declared the Electoral Act of 1998 unconstitutional for stipulating that election to the National Assembly and provincial legislatures may only be attained through membership of political parties.
The amended electoral act now provides for the inclusion and nomination of independent candidates as contesters to elections in the National Assembly and provincial legislatures. Notable measures that feature in the bill are;