ANC okays new law on local polls

CAPE TOWN Aug 17 Sapa

By Dirk van Zyl

The ANC's Parliamentary caucus Thursday approved proposals to
force local authorities to hold elections by the end of March next
year or face disbandment, while the IFP warned it would oppose them
"with all democratic means".

ANC Senate chief whip Bulelani Ngcuka said after the weekly
caucus meeting that if transitional local authorities had not been
able to hold elections by the end of March next year, they would be
dissolved and an administrator appointed who would report to the
national Minister of Provincial Affairs, who is responsible for
local government.

"It would be clear to us by then that (provincial local
government) MECs would have lost control or would be unwilling to
implement elections," he said.

The caucus had also agreed voters should be allowed another
chance to register for the polls between September 11 and 24.

Later on Thursday, Provincial Affairs Minister Roelf Meyer told
Parliament's joint portfolio committee on Constitutional Affairs
the proposal for extended registration would be put to a Cabinet
committee for formal approval next week.

Meyer also said the Cabinet was to be asked to proclaim the day
set for local government polls - November 1 - a public holiday.

The IFP's Parliamentary caucus vowed on Thursday to oppose
"with all democratic means" proposals to scrap the automatic
representation of traditional leaders on local government bodies,
as well as other proposed constitutional amendments affecting local
government.

It was referring to the Constitution of the Republic of South
Africa Second Amendment Bill and the Local Government Transition
Amendment Bill, which were placed before Parliament's joint
portfolio committee on constitutional affairs for informal
discussion on Thursday.

NP leader Deputy President F W de Klerk seemed to partially
squash speculating press on
Thursday morning that his party may cause the postponement of the
mooted November 1 poll by preventing these Bills from obtaining the
necessary two-thirds majority at a joint sitting of the National
Assembly and Senate.

He told a media briefing after the NP's weekly caucus meeting
that the party supported staggered local government elections in
principle.

But he added that it opposed them in provinces where only a
small percentage of an electorate was able to vote.

De Klerk said the NP would support the Constitution of the
Republic of South Africa Second Amendment Bill.

The IFP was also particularly incensed at a proposal in the
Local Government Transition Amendment Bill that the Minister of
Provincial Affairs would have the right to rule by decree if
certain local government problems were not resolved timeously,
according to a statement after its weekly caucus meeting.