Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09PRETORIA254
2009-02-10 17:27:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Pretoria
Cable title:
APRIL 22 SET FOR ELECTION DATE; OUT-OF-COUNTRY
how-toO 101727Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7306 INFO SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN IMMEDIATE AMCONSUL DURBAN IMMEDIATE AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS PRETORIA 000254
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM SF
SUBJECT: APRIL 22 SET FOR ELECTION DATE; OUT-OF-COUNTRY
VOTING AN ISSUE
UNCLAS PRETORIA 000254
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM SF
SUBJECT: APRIL 22 SET FOR ELECTION DATE; OUT-OF-COUNTRY
VOTING AN ISSUE
1. President Kgalema Motlanthe, during February 10 remarks
to the National Assembly, announced that national elections
will take place on April 22. The announcement followed
consultations with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)
and the nine provincial governments. Motlanthe stressed that
the formal proclamation of the election date would take place
at a later date.
2. A legal skirmish regarding the voting rights of South
Africans living overseas could delay the formal proclamation
of the election date. The Constitutional Court is set to
decide whether to uphold a February 9 ruling by the Pretoria
High Court reaffirming broadly the right to vote for South
Africans living abroad. In recent elections, out-of country
voting has been tightly restricted, and the IEC's capacity to
implement full-scale overseas voting, should the ruling be
upheld, is uncertain.
LA LIME
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM SF
SUBJECT: APRIL 22 SET FOR ELECTION DATE; OUT-OF-COUNTRY
VOTING AN ISSUE
1. President Kgalema Motlanthe, during February 10 remarks
to the National Assembly, announced that national elections
will take place on April 22. The announcement followed
consultations with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)
and the nine provincial governments. Motlanthe stressed that
the formal proclamation of the election date would take place
at a later date.
2. A legal skirmish regarding the voting rights of South
Africans living overseas could delay the formal proclamation
of the election date. The Constitutional Court is set to
decide whether to uphold a February 9 ruling by the Pretoria
High Court reaffirming broadly the right to vote for South
Africans living abroad. In recent elections, out-of country
voting has been tightly restricted, and the IEC's capacity to
implement full-scale overseas voting, should the ruling be
upheld, is uncertain.
LA LIME