Katlego Sekhu
Earlier this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law the Electoral Amendment Bill of 2022.
The Bill provides for the amendment of the Electoral Act, 1992 (Act No. 73 of 1998) and gives effect to the Constitutional Court judgment that was handed down on June 11, 2020.
The judgment in the matter of New Nation Movement (NPC) and others V. The President of the Republic of South Africa & others declared the Electoral Act of 1998 unconstitutional for stipulating that election to the National Assembly and provincial legislatures may only be attained through membership in political parties.
The amended electoral act now provides for the inclusion and nomination of independent candidates as contestants in elections in the National Assembly and provincial legislatures.
However, this amendment has been contested by many who have called for electoral reform because of the technicalities in terms of seats allocated in parliament for independent candidates. 959 Breakfast discussed how this setup disadvantages independent candidates.



