Ramaphosa's electoral reform headache as December deadline looms

Opposition to the electoral amendment bill, in its current form, continues to grow, with Ramaphosa under increasing pressure to act before the 10 December deadline. In June 2020, the Constitutional Court ordered Parliament to make the necessary legislative changes to the existing electoral law, which makes it impossible for an independent candidate to stand for office without being part of a political party. This provision is at odds with the country’s Bill of Rights. Parliament was given 24 months to make the changes but that deadline lapsed in June this year and Parliament was granted an extension until December. BizNews correspondent Michael Appel spoke with the chairperson of the Independent Candidate Association, Dr Michael Louis, about the continuing shenanigans that bedevil the constitutionality of the bill and what options remain on the table ahead of the 2024 national elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices