IEC says preparations for LGE in KZN going well
IEC says preparations for the municipal elections in KZN are going well, with no reports no-go areas
The Electoral Commission (IEC) has reported that preparations for the local government elections (LGE) in KwaZulu-Natal are progressing smoothly, with no instances of "no-go areas" reported to date. Provincial Electoral Officer Ntombifuthi Masinga revealed that 111 political parties and 104 independent candidates are set to participate in the elections.
The candidates are vying for support from over six million registered voters in the province, which is the second most populous area in South Africa following Gauteng. A total of 26,497 candidates across political parties and independent candidates are contesting 2,166 seats in KwaZulu-Natal. The political parties, including the IFP, MK Party, and ANC, have all signed the Commission's provincial Code of Conduct in Durban, pledging to adhere to the rules to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections.
The IFP's Inkosi Ntandoyenkosi Shabalala emphasized the importance of protecting the democratic space, urging parties to view each other not as enemies but as entities working towards a common goal of free, fair, and credible elections. The MK Party's Willies Mchunu stressed political tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and the belief that political competition is an integral part of democracy.
The ANC's Mike Mabuyakhulu highlighted the need to break the cycle of political intolerance and violence, stressing that the past should not be repeated, and all parties must actively work to prevent the recurrence of such incidents before, during, and after the elections.
Written by urgent.news from SABC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
