South Africa general elections set for May

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has previously defended the country’s land policies, arguing that his government had not confiscated any land and the new law was aimed at ensuring equitable public access to land.

Johannesburg. – South Africa will hold national and provincial elections on 29 May, coinciding with the celebration of its 30 years of freedom and democracy, the presidency has said.

It said President Cyril Ramaphosa had consulted with the electoral commission regarding the date.

The president has further convened a meeting with all provincial premiers and the commission to discuss the state of readiness of the elections.

Voters will be electing a new national assembly as well as the provincial legislature in each of the country’s nine provinces.

Parties are allocated seats in the 400-seat parliament based on the percentage of votes they receive in the election and MPs then elect the president.

Mr Ramaphosa is seeking a second term as president.

His African National Congress party faces tough competition in the elections, with opinion polls suggesting the party could lose its outright majority to fall below 50 percent, for the first time in South Africa’s 30 years of democracy.

The vote will be the seventh fully democratic election in South Africa.

Mr Ramaphosa said; “Beyond the fulfilment of our constitutional obligation, these upcoming elections are also a celebration of our democratic journey and a determination of the future that we all desire. I call on all South Africans to exercise their democratic right to vote and for those who will be campaigning to do so peacefully, within the full observance of the law.” – BBC.com