Elections to go ahead this year
THE Constitutional Court (Concourt) has ordered the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to hold local government elections on any day between October 27 and November 1 this year.
The Concourt has dismissed the urgent application made by the IEC.
The IEC filed an urgent application in the Constitutional Court seeking to postpone the 2021 local government elections last month.
The Concourt further instructed the IEC to hold a special voter registration weekend – the date of which must be announced within three calendar days of the order, which was handed down yesterday.
“The commission must, within three calendar days after the date of this order, determine whether it is practically possible to hold a voter
A CAMPAIGN called #Giveheracrown is looking to change the lives of young creative women.
The campaign hopes to achieve this by raising funds to give bursaries to these young women.
The campaign’s Cyril Naicker said the Crown Collection is a series of digital artworks created by six top South African designers.
He said each designer created a bespoke piece of digital art that celebrates an inspiring female force by giving her a crown.
“What’s exciting about this year’s art form is that the digital artworks have also been translated into a product range,” said Naicker.
This year’s artist, Daniele Clough, said on the campaign’s website that she loves this project because it is about possibilities.
“Through the celebration of strong women, we see what is possible. We see what can be achieved by sharing their acts of bravery and empathy.
“I believe that it reminds us of the registration weekend with a view of registering new voters and changing registered voters’ particulars on the national voters roll in time for local
#GIVEHERACROWN
power of acting and contributing in a time when things can feel hopeless and that as a collective we can be small parts of big acts,” she said.
Another artist, Balekane Legoabe, said: “I decided to get involved with the #Giveheracrown initiative because it aligns perfectly with my values. Bringing more light, beauty and positivity to the world through art and bringing beauty, hope and upliftment into the lives of others.”
The campaign’s Carla Steenkamp said #Giveheracrown was launched last year, and the proceeds of the 2020 Crown Collection was used to create a Caps and curriculum aligned school programme for primary schools.
She said they received help last year from a project called Lalela, which provides educational arts for at-risk youth to spark creative thinking and awaken the entrepreneurial spirit. Lalela helped them develop the content and curriculum.
“#Giveheracrown believes that the fight against gender-based violence starts with education, and we are delighted that educators nationwide have downloaded and used our government elections to be held on any day in the period from Wednesday, 27 October 2021 to Monday, 1 November 2021 (both dates inclusive),” #Givethemacrown Caps aligned digital school kit,” she said.
Steenkamp said their aim is to empower children to realise their worth and value regardless of their gender or identity. This year the Crown Collection will be sold online, and all proceeds will be going towards bursaries for four young female creatives.
Naicker said their main drive at the moment is to get support from the public to purchase the Crown Collection pieces.
“There really is something for everyone, starting from as little as R75. Our dream is to raise at least R300 000 this year so that we can award at least six bursaries to young female creatives.”
Those interested can buy a framed collection. Corporates or individuals can purchase the Crown Collection range of merchandise, from notebooks, laptop sleeves, bags, scatter pillows and more, for their staff, or make a donation to the Crown Bursary Fund.
To make a purchase, people can visit giveheracrown.co.za and be inspired by the power of the art, the power of collective collaboration and most importantly, the power of you. the order read.
The commission’s legal action followed the proclamation of the election date as October 27 by Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
The commission had appointed retired justice Dikgang Moseneke to chair an inquiry looking into whether this year’s elections could be held during a pandemic.
Moseneke recommended a postponement of the elections, to February next year because of the rising number of coronavirus infections.
The IEC’S court application followed the adoption of the report.
The commission and the government could not call for a postponement of elections outside the 90-day window period, which ends on November 1.
The court application asked the apex court to grant the IEC permission
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has backed his deputy David Mabuza for travelling to Russia to get medical treatment because his health required that medical intervention.
This followed attacks by DA leader John Steenhuisen yesterday that Mabuza had gone to Russia for treatment for several weeks.
Ramaphosa said like any other person Mabuza had a right to choose doctors of his choice to attend to him and the place he wanted to be treated in.
.He slammed Steenhuisen for waging an attack on Mabuza for his decision to go to Russia.
“In relation to the deputy president, Mr Steenhuisen, some measure of kindness is required when somebody is not well. The deputy president was not well for quite some time,” said Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa also encouraged South Africans to be vaccinated.
He denied that the state wanted to force people to be vaccinated.
He said the Constitution provides to hold the forthcoming local government elections outside the 90-day period.
In its order that was released yesterday afternoon, the Constitutional Court also stated that the timetable published by the IEC last month should remain applicable.
The ANC had gone to the Electoral Court this week to seek an order to force the IEC to reopen the registration of its candidates for the elections.
This was after the party failed to register candidates in more than 30 municipalities across the country.
But the DA and other parties opposed the ANC’S decision.
The governing party had then withdrawn its application pending the judgment of the Constitutional Court.
The DA has been pushing for the elections to be held this year. But the EFF and IFP had called for a postponement of the polls. protection against all citizens.
There would not be anyone who would be forced to be vaccinated. However people were encouraged to get the jabs because vaccines will provide protection against Covid-19.
He said the Department of Employment and Labour has issued directives regarding the issue of companies forcing workers to be vaccinated.
Workers were encouraged to be vaccinated to protect themselves and their colleagues as well as their families.
This came after ACDP leader Reverend Kenneth Meshoe asked Ramaphosa about some companies trying to force workers to be vaccinated.
“In the end, honourable Meshoe, you will agree with me that the rights in the Constitution are not absolute; they are rights to be exercised with due consideration – how those rights affect the overall rights of all of us,” said Ramaphosa.
He also said he will visit Marikana as he has pledged in the past.
The issue has dragged on because it involves a number of roleplayers, but he said he hoped there would be a solution soon.