Joburg records highest PR party total for local government polls

The City of Johannesburg has recorded the highest number of political parties contesting Proportional Representation (PR) seats in the upcoming local government elections.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) made the announcement during a briefing in Centurion on Wednesday.

Several political parties, including the DA, MK Party, ActionSA, Rise Mzansi, BOSA, IFP, ACDP, FF Plus and the Patriotic Alliance, have announced their mayoral candidates, while the ANC recently released the names of its mayoral nominees.

Other municipalities recording high numbers of parties contesting PR seats include Tshwane and eThekwini.

The IEC says more than 40 000 candidates were nominated by political parties to contest PR seats, while more than 100 000 candidates were nominated by parties to contest ward seats.

A total of 975 independent candidates have also been nominated to contest ward seats.

IEC Chairperson Mosotho Moepya says, “Top municipalities with the highest number of PR: the City of Johannesburg has the highest number of PR contestants at 80 parties, followed by the City of Tshwane at 72 parties, eThekwini at 70 parties, Ekurhuleni at 69 parties and the City of Cape Town at 55 parties…”

“Other municipalities in the top 10 are eMfuleni at 43 parties, followed by Polokwane at 40 parties, Rustenburg at 38 parties, Nelson Mandela Bay at 38 parties, and Capricorn District at 38 parties,” Moepya.

Mpho Moalamedi on political representation in South Africa