Last chance for list objections
With a little more than a month to go until the 2019 elections, political party lists have been published for public scrutiny and objections.
Members of the public have until Tuesday to object to any candidate on the party lists.
The May 8 election is being contested by 48 political parties.
The ANC has received criticism for the lists it submitted to the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) in February. The lists include politicians who have been implicated in state capture or accused of lying under oath.
A number of new political parties have been registered, some led by controversial figures such as Hlaudi Motsoeneng (African Content Movement), Black Land First
leader Andile Mngxitama, and Mzwanele Manyi, policy chief of the African Transformation Movement. Other newcomers are Patricia de Lille’s Good, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA’s Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party and the Capitalist Party of SA (ZACP).
According to the constitution, any citizen who is qualified to vote may be a candidate. The only exceptions are unrehabilitated insolvents, anyone declared unsound of mind by a court, or convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than a year in prison.
The IEC said it will consider and make a determination on all objections and notify the objectors and affected parties of its decision by April 8. An objector will then have until April 11 to appeal against the decision at the Electoral Court.
Meanwhile, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) will this week interview candidates for vacancies in superior courts.
On Monday it will interview six candidates for two spots at the Constitutional Court — high court judges Annali Basson, Patricia Goliath, Jody Kollapen and Fayeeza Kathree-Setiloane and Supreme Court of Appeal judges Stevan Majiedt and Zukisa Tshiqi.
On Tuesday the JSC will interview judge Xola Mlungisi Petse after his nomination by President Cyril Ramaphosa for deputy president of the Supreme Court of Appeal.
On Monday and Tuesday the New Development Bank will host its fourth annual meeting in Cape Town, aimed at solidifying partnerships for sustainable development in the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and SA) group and in emerging markets.
The state capture inquiry will continue with public hearings this week, with former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi having completed his second appearance at the commission on Friday.
On Monday the commission will be hearing more testimony regarding Bosasa.