The Council for the Advancement of the SA Constitution (Casac) welcomed the decision of the apex court to reject the application by the electoral commission to shelve the polls until next year.
Lawson Naidoo of Casac said the decision by the Constitutional Court would ensure that the IEC had time to fix some of the things it was supposed to do before the elections.
The Concourt ruled that the elections should be held between October 27 and November 1 this year.
It is despite the IEC trying to get the elections postponed to February next year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Naidoo said the Concourt decision ensured the constitutional values of holding regular elections.
“The ruling reaffirms regular free and fair elections as a foundational constitutional value and mandates the IEC to fulfil its constitutional obligations,” said Naidoo.
“In particular, the order allows the IEC some leeway and relief to address some of the challenges that it faced in its preparations for the elections, ensuring that South Africans are not disenfranchised as a result.
“The ruling is a welcome sign of the court’s fidelity to the Constitution and the rule of law, and its commitment to being the ultimate guardian of our democratic order,” said Naidoo.
The IEC will hold an urgent meeting this weekend to chart the way after the ruling of the Concourt.
It said it would have to start preparing for the elections on the dates that have been indicated by the apex court.
Political parties welcomed the decision by the court.
Political Bureau