LOCAL POLLS STILL ON COURSE: MEYER

By Angela Quintal

CAPE TOWN Sept 7 Sapa

Parliament's failure to pass key constitutional legislation on
Thursday would not jeopardise the November 1 local government
elections, Constittional Affirs Minister Roelf Meyer said on
Thursday night.

The Constitution Second Amendment Bill, largely aimed at
facilitating staggered elections, would be put to Parliament again
next week, he told Sapa.

Meyer did not elaborate.

"We would have preferred that it went through this week for
administrative purposes, but the elections won't be put in
arrears."

Asked about the extent to which National Party absentee MPs may
have contributed to the failure of the required two-thirds
majority, Meyer said:

"Our members were probably all there. Proportionally we
probably had a bigger turnout than the ANC."

On the effect the Bill's delay could have on the nomination
process for candidates, Meyer said only civil servants planning to
stand might be affected.

However, the actual nomination cut-off date was "around
September 22".

Meyer said he did not envisage further problems preventing
staggered elections being held.

The NP and ANC - the only two parties to support the measure
- mustered 302 votes, while 327 were needed for the required
two-thirds majority. The IFP, FF, DP, PAC and ACDP totalled 64
against.