‘Expect an election date in 15 days’

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to announce the date of the 2024 national and provincial elections within the next two weeks, according to Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) previously indicated that elections could occur between May and August, provided Ramaphosa issues a proclamation in February.

The determination of the election date rests with the president in consultation with the IEC.

South Africa is mandated by the constitution to conduct elections within 90 days of the end of the term of the current parliament, in May.

Addressing the media yesterday, Magwenya confirmed that Ramaphosa would reveal the date of this year’s elections this month.

“If you count from tomorrow, the president will announce the election within 15 days,” he said.

Magwenya indicated that the president would issue a proclamation “soon after announcing” the election date.

“There shouldn’t be a lack between the time he announces and the time he proclaims,” he said.

“It all depends on his schedule on that particular day he will announce, but often we don’t have a huge lack between the announcement and the proclamation.”

He also stressed that the timing of his announcement was never expected at any specific point in time.

“There has to be an allowance of about 90 days to finalise preparations between the time the date is proclaimed and the actual date of elections so there’s no delay, because there was never an agreed timeline as to when he will announce the date,” Magwenya said.

Magwenya said Ramaphosa wasn’t worried about the possibility of interference with the elections as he regularly engaged with the Justice Crime Prevention and Security cluster and the State Security Agency (SSA), which doesn’t have a director-general following Thembisile Majola’s resignation last year.

“Any concerns that the president might have will not be around whether the SSA is able to respond to threats that may face the country or not, because there is stability in the agency.”

There has to be an allowance of about 90 days to finalise preparations.

Vincent Magwenya Presidency spokesperson