LOCAL ELECTIONS CHAOS WILL WORSEN, SAYS CP

PRETORIA Aug 24 Sapa

Chaos surrounding the coming local government elections would
worsen since voters were to get yet another chance to register, the
Conservative Party said on Wednesday.

In a statement in Pretoria CP leader Dr Ferdi Hartzenberg said
local voters' rolls were in many cases not yet available, even
though the expiry date for registration was nearly three months
ago.

"Due to this inability of transitional councils to produce and
present voters' rolls, it would be impossible to ... hold a
properly organised election on November 1."

Hartzenberg said Constitutional Development and Provincial
Affairs Minister Roelf Meyer's announcement that further
registrations would take place between September 11 and 25 was a
plan to help the African National Congress, as apparently not
enough of its voters had registered.

"The only sensible step would be to postpone the elections,"
Hartzenberg said.