ELECTION-BRIEF

JOHANNESBURG July 24 Sapa

MECs to brief Meyer on elections ahead of cabinet decision

Minister of Provincial Affairs and Constitutional Development
Roelf Meyer would be briefed by local government MECs on Tuesday
before cabinet decided on when to hold local government elections,
his spokesman Izak Retief said.

Meyer would hear recommendations on how to proceed with the
elections, scheduled for November 1 but threatened in several areas
by disputes over boundary demarcations, Retief said.

A decision on how to manage the elections is expected from
Wednesday's cabinet meeting.

Meyer said at the weekend it would be better to proceed with
the elections in areas which were ready than to postpone the whole
poll.

A staggered election would require amendments to the
constitution.

Meyer said a countrywide postponement would worsen the lack of
delivery by transitional authorities who were reluctant to take
important financial decisions.

About three-quarters of local government areas were ready for
the elections but demarcation disputes had yet to be resolved in
Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.

Meyer said these areas should not be allowed to delay the poll
for the rest of the country.

Gauteng local government and housing MEC Dan Mofokeng last week
announced a plan to resolve Johannesburg's demarcation problems and
hold elections on November 1.

His plan was dismissed as unworkable by the National and
Democratic parties.