Durban – The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is in discussion with Eskom over next year’s national general elections, with the electoral body raising concerns that the worsening power crisis will affect their ballot systems.
The date for the elections will only be established when it is gazetted by President Cyril Ramaphosa, although the IEC expects it to be held between May and August 2024.
Western Cape IEC officer, Michael Hendrickse said guarantees were needed from Eskom and these include the two days of special votes, election day and to capture voting results.
Hendrickse said staff start capturing or counting the results after 9pm through the night. This needed to be captured and a consistent electricity supply was necessary.
In February, IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya said they worked within the realities faced by South Africans and they were not immune to what was happening in the country and the issues everyone had to adjust to.
“We know almost a year ahead of that election there is a lot of work we need to do to anticipate the difficulties we may have and to put measures in place,” he told a national broadcaster.
Moepya said these were not ideal circumstances to hold a national election but the commission would do everything possible to ensure the elections are conducted in an effective manner.
“We have always worked closely with Eskom in all previous elections; we have an established working relationship with them. Even in 2021, whatever challenges there were, we worked very closely with them.
“In areas where we will encounter problems, we will have to make provisions operationally but also in terms of the law,” Moepya said.