Chance to 'fix the country' or just another public holiday? SA weighs in on election date announcement
South Africans will head to the polls on November 1, co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma announced on Wednesday.
The announcement drew many responses on social media, with some saying they will be casting their vote to “fix the country”, citing shoddy service delivery, corruption and joblessness as some of the reasons they will vote.
The Constitutional Court last week dismissed a bid by the Electoral Commission (IEC) to postpone the elections until February 2022. It ruled the election must be held between October 27 and November 1.
Addressing a media briefing, Dlamini-Zuma said the government could have chosen to hold the election on October 27, a date originally announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa, but settled on a later date to allow the IEC sufficient time to prepare for the election.
Dlamini-Zuma's announcement comes after the IEC on Monday said it will amend the election timetable to allow political parties and independent candidates who missed the August deadline to register their candidates ahead of the elections.
The registrations will take place on the weekend of September 18 and 19.
Dlamini-Zuma said the municipal elections are important for South Africans, as local governments are closest to voters.
Here's what people said in response to the announcement:
Local government election to be held on the 1st of November 2021. 💔 pic.twitter.com/LHDSL8mKSI
— Tebatso Mels⚖ (@Tebatsomankger2) September 8, 2021
1st of November we fixing the country angisho guys?
— 🌹 (@MmajwaleM) September 8, 2021
They are busy saying "better life for all" but can't pay their own staffs.
— Re Busy rona ma EFF (@MsakaWaLekhosi) September 8, 2021
Vote ANC - bitter life for all*#LocalGovernmentElections pic.twitter.com/dCNfIwxgpg
🥱😳…
— Mkhuleko Hlengwa MP #🇿🇦 #😷 (@MkhulekoHlengwa) September 8, 2021
How do you call #LocalGovernmentElections on a Monday (01 November) knowing full well that you are effectively creating a long weekend because Election Day is a holiday.
And Special Votes as a consequence during that very long weekend.
But ke WE ARE READY 🐘🐘🐘 VOTE IFP!
Yes to another public holiday 💃🏾 #01November2021 …
— MaHlela ❤️✨ (@pthlela) September 8, 2021
Ngiyadlala let’s go Vote !!!! #LocalGovernmentElections #voting #VotingDay #JikiZinto #Election2021
#LocalGovernmentElections
— Cape Town Hunk. (@Viwe36159569) September 8, 2021
The parties that wants us to vote for them better have quality t shirts.
Dear South African Youth, when the @IECSouthAfrica re-opens the registration weekend, please register to vote. Change begins with us. #LocalGovernmentElections
— Yonela Gxasheka (@YonelaGxasheka) September 3, 2021
Now we know that local government elections will take place on 1 November, we can be assured that politicians will be in our faces in October, but gone by November.#Election2021 #NDZ#LocalGovernmentElections https://t.co/fPillepNFU
— Glenn Bownes (@nomadglenn) September 8, 2021
So on the 1st of November, we vote the @EFFSouthAfrica.
— #RememberMarikana (@kingnathi_m) September 8, 2021
Victory is certainly certain
1 November 2021 we vote ANC ✊🏾
— Olwethu Sipuka (@osipuka) September 8, 2021
We’re voting UDM on the 1st of November.
— bheki. (@dearbheki) September 9, 2021