IEC prepares for South Africa's most competitive local elections

The upcoming local government elections are expected to be the most hotly contested in South Africa’s democratic history, with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) currently having 508 registered political parties on its database.

The commission held a media briefing in Centurion on Tuesday, where it announced its readiness for the anticipated municipal polls.

However, not all registered political parties will automatically contest the elections, as appearing on the ballot paper will depend on meeting the required criteria.

Over the past four months alone, 20 new political parties were registered with the IEC.

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Of the 508 registered political parties, 299 are listed to contest the national elections, while the remaining 209 are either approved for provincial legislatures or municipal councils.

IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo says while the commission is still waiting for the Cooperative Governance Minister to announce the official date for the elections, preparations are already underway.

"The electoral processes of the commission are unfolding. Ward delimitation has been done. We are revisiting all voting districts. We are training the trainers, and there’ll be a training rollout ahead of the election," Mamabolo stated.

The IEC also announced today that the first voter registration weekend for the upcoming local government elections will take place on 20 and 21 June.