The Democratic Alliance (DA) has placed political stability at the centre of its election campaign, warning that multi-party coalitions can make effective local government difficult. Speaking ahead of the party’s final campaign rally in Mamelodi, Tshwane, Deputy Federal Chair Solly Malatsi said the DA was targeting outright majorities in Gauteng’s biggest metropolitan municipalities to avoid the challenges associated with coalition administrations. In an televised interview on Saturday morning, Malatsi expressed confidence that the party could emerge as the largest political…
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has warned disgruntled individuals and communities against boycotting elections, saying opting out of democratic participation could limit their ability to influence decisions affecting their daily lives. The warning follows the final voter registration weekend, during which some communities expressed dissatisfaction over ward changes resulting from municipal boundary reviews. Election-related protests were reported in parts of the North West and Limpopo, with residents raising concerns about their areas being moved into different wards following reviews by…
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has called on political parties to play a greater role in encouraging South Africans to register and vote, saying they have the biggest incentive to mobilise voters ahead of the registration deadline. The appeal follows observations that only the four largest political parties – the ANC, DA, MK Party (MKP) and EFF – appeared to be actively campaigning during the latest voter registration weekend, while many smaller parties showed little public activity. On Saturday, Newsnote…
The criminal case against self-proclaimed political fixer Brown Mogotsi has been postponed to 20 August after the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court dismissed an application seeking the identities of state witnesses. Mogotsi appeared in court on Monday, where his legal team asked the court to compel the State to disclose the names and addresses of witnesses expected to testify against him. His attorney, Makau William Sekgatja, argued that access to the information was necessary to allow Mogotsi to investigate the allegations and…