News

Analysis: Media Will be the Most Powerful Campaigning Tool

Written by Mfundo on 13 September, 2021

By: Mfundo Mabaso

Social Commentator Makhosini Mgitywa says this will be a challenging time for political parties leading up to the Local Government Elections.

Campaigning has officially begun following a green light from Cogta Minister, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, announcing the 1st of November as the new elections date.

Previously the current COVID-19 lockdown regulations prohibited any form of large gatherings, including election campaigning.

Commenting on the impact of campaigning at such a late stage, he says it is the media that will become the most aggressive campaigning tool.

He has also revealed that the processes followed in determining the date for the Local Government Elections were necessary but executed wrongly.

This as Cogta Minister has announced the official date for the elections, following a Constitutional Court ruling to dismiss the IEC’s application to postpone them.

In July, former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke recommended to the IEC, through a Commission, that the election be delayed until no later than February next year due to COVID-19 and its impact on conducting an election campaign and voting.

Mgitywa says while noting the pandemic’s negative impact, however, the IEC succumbed to the pressure and influence by political parties that were calling for the elections to be postponed.

Meanwhile, Constitutional Expert Mpumelelo Zikalala says the Con Court should have rejected the electoral commission’s application from the word go as they are less specialised in this.