Electoral Commission on postponement of March by-elections due to Coronavirus COVID-19 level 3 lockdown restrictions
9 February 2021
The Electoral Court has authorised the postponement of by-elections scheduled to be held during March due to the continued COVID-19 level 3 lockdown restrictions which prohibit political activities.
This brings to 24 the number of ward by-elections which have been postponed since the start of 2021 due to the second COVID-19 wave and its associated restrictions.
The Electoral Commission approached the Electoral Court for approval to extend the period within which the by-elections scheduled to be held on 3 March 2021 and 31 March 2021, to a date not beyond 120 days from the date of the Court Order.
The Electoral Court on 4 February 2021 authorised the postponement of the following by-elections:
|
Original by-election date |
Province |
Municipality |
Ward/s |
Registered voters |
|
3 March |
Eastern Cape |
EC135 - IntsikaYethu |
17 |
3 353 |
|
|
Eastern Cape |
EC154 - Port St Johns |
09 |
3 469 |
|
|
Eastern Cape |
EC157 - King SabataDalindyebo |
43 |
5 716 |
|
|
Eastern Cape |
NMA - Nelson Mandela Bay |
17 |
7 011 |
|
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
KZN282 - uMhlathuze |
15 |
6 442 |
|
|
Mpumalanga |
MP312 - Emalahleni |
33 |
4 749 |
|
31 March |
KwaZulu-Natal |
KZN262 - uPhongolo |
14 |
3 881 |
|
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
KZN282 - uMhlathuze |
22; 30 |
9 785 |
|
|
Limpopo |
LIM367 - Mogalakwena |
23 |
5 718 |
|
Total: |
4 provinces |
9 municipalities |
10 wards |
50 124 |
All these by-elections have now been rescheduled for 19 May 2021 along with those by-elections which had previously been postponed as announced in a media release on 11 January 2021 as follows:
|
Original by-election date |
Province |
Municipality |
Ward/s |
Registered voters |
|
20 January |
Gauteng |
EKU - Ekurhuleni |
43 |
17 886 |
|
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
KZN242 - Nqutu |
11 |
5 742 |
|
|
Mpumalanga |
MP325 - Bushbuckridge |
21 |
6 609 |
|
3 February |
Free State |
FS194 - Maluti a Phofung |
25 |
4 330 |
|
|
Gauteng |
JHB - City of Johannesburg |
7 & 17 |
37 953 |
|
|
Limpopo |
LIM344 - Makhado |
38 |
5 681 |
|
|
Limpopo |
LIM476 - FetakgomoTubatse |
13 |
6 451 |
|
17 February |
Eastern Cape |
EC441 - Matatiele |
11 |
3 813 |
|
|
Gauteng |
TSH - Tshwane Metro |
3; 58; 88; 92 |
55 988 |
|
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
ETH - eThekwini |
110 |
19 291 |
|
Total: |
6 provinces |
10 municipalities |
14 wards |
163 744 |
Issued by Kate Bapela on behalf of IEC, 9 February 2021
