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Parties need a deposit of about R500k to contest elections

Political parties have less than two weeks to submit their list of candidate nominations for the August 3 local government elections.

The Electoral Commission said this on Tuesday as it welcomed the proclamation of the 2016 Municipal Elections by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs‚ Des van Rooyen.

The proclamation triggers the official election timetable which the Electoral Commission today published in a special Government Gazette. The timetable spans the next 72 days and lays down the key dates and deadlines for various milestones until Election Day on 3 August 2016.

The Electoral Commission said an upfront payment of R482‚000 is the proposed deposit required from a political party planning to contest all municipal councils .

Contesting eight metros will claim a deposit of R28‚000‚ while the 205 local councils cost R410‚000 and the 44 district councils a total of R44‚000

Deposits are refunded where at least one candidate is elected to the council.

The Electoral Commission said political parties have until 17h00 on Thursday 2 June 2016 to submit their list of nominations for ward candidates‚ proportional representation candidates and district council candidates. The same applies to independent candidates.

In order to stand for election as an independent candidate in a ward‚ nominees must be a registered voter in the municipality in which they are contesting. They must then submit a completed nomination form including the signatures of 50 registered voters in the ward they are contesting‚ a copy of their ID‚ an A5 colour head and shoulders photograph for the ballot paper and proof of payment of an election deposit of R1‚000.

A date has also been set for the closing of the voters roll‚ whereafter no new applicants may be admitted to the voters’ roll‚ including additional registrations or re-registrations. The Electoral Commission said certification of the voters’ roll for the 2016 Municipal Elections takes place on 31 May 2016.

A total of 53‚757 candidates contested the previous Municipal Elections in 2011 – including 754 independent candidates.

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