The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has welcomed the signing of the Electoral Amendment Bill into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The Bill was passed by both houses of Parliament in February this year.
It follows the historic Constitutional Court ruling that found that the Electoral Act was unconstitutional, as it did not allow independent candidates to contest elections at provincial and national level.
The Bill will now allow independent candidates to stand in provincial and national elections without being part of a political party.
However, some have criticised the Bill as being fundamentally flawed with threats of litigation against the Bill in its current form.
IEC Chairperson, Mosotho Moepya says independent candidates can participate in elections under certain conditions.
“One, an independent candidate may be nominated to contest in one or more regions but may only be elected to one seat in the National Assembly; Two, an independent candidate may only be nominated to stand in a provincial legislature in a province in which they are registered; Three, an independent candidate may only be a member of either the National Assembly or a provincial legislature.”
VIDEO | IEC briefs the media on the Electoral Amendment Act:
