CAPE TOWN - Despite efforts from political parties, the campaigning ahead of the local government elections could spawn super-spreader events and increase the number of people infected with Covid-19.
The elections must go ahead and while the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) tried to postpone elections to next year, there is no doubt that the dangers of the pandemic would have still been prevalent.
The IEC is now faced with the task of holding the elections with as little damage as possible to the wider society. For political parties, Covid-19 has presented a challenge of getting their message out to the masses without the masses being present, as has been done previously, at mass rallies.
The launching of manifestos, often seen as a grand and exuberant opportunity to talk policy, is now more subdued in the face of the pandemic. Yet those on the ground appear to be urging supporters to come out in their numbers and support election campaigns in an attempt to show the true electoral support held by respective parties.
Elections are crucial as they give legitimacy to governments, especially in municipalities where service delivery, corruption and mismanagement are high.
Where there is rot, it cannot be allowed to continue and local government elections are an opportunity for residents to make their feelings known through the ballot box.
Elections in a democracy represent stability and the feeling of fairness and justice and this is crucial. A voters’ ability to decide who will take office and have official power is crucial to the societal order and the elections is the basic fundamental mechanism to make this decision. The onus will be on the political parties and the IEC to make the elections safe.
Cape Times