President Cyril Ramaphosa has assured South Africans that he will soon announce the election date but did not commit to making this announcement when he delivers the State of the Nation (Sona) address next month.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa will conduct its final voter registration weekend on February 3 and 4 and voter registration will end once Ramaphosa promulgates the date.
Opposition parties have urged him to use the Sona address to unofficially announce the date so that they can prepare for the massive logistical undertaking of campaigning for the election.
Ramaphosa during a wide-ranging interview with a national broadcaster, said the election date will be announced soon.
“Well, the election date will be announced shortly so that South Africans get ready for the election.
“This is an election year; we are bringing an end to the sixth administration and once the people of our country have decided who they would like to take their country forward in the form of a new government we enter into the seventh administration, so the election date is going to be announced soon”.
On whether he would make the announcement during his Sona address Ramaphosa said: “Does soon mean the Sona? No, the election date is going to be announced soon.”
On the number of social grant recipients in the country, Ramaphosa said that these grants had been necessary to lift people out of poverty.
He said the 28 million people in the country on social grants were assisted and supported because of the situation they find themselves in.
“We support people who are vulnerable in one form or another and due to Covid we added another eight to ten million people.
“We as South Africans and taxpayers need to support their livelihoods as they did not decree the situation they find themselves in.”
Ramaphosa said the extent of social welfare was due to historical reasons including poverty, lack of assets and lack of education.
“During Covid we said we would support the unemployed, which we had never done. Through that we have been able to reduce food poverty by two million and had we not done that poverty would have been worse.”
Ramaphosa said ideally there should be fewer people on the welfare system.
He added that the suspension of his predecessor Jacob Zuma was not likely to have an impact on the party.
Zuma was suspended by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ANC on Monday after he endorsed the newly formed MK Party.
Zuma also said that he would not vote for the ANC and that he would not be available to campaign for the party.
Ramaphosa said the ANC constitution did not allow dual membership.
“No, no ... I am not worried he is a free agent, he has decided to go and support or form another party and the NEC this weekend took a decision that he should be suspended in terms of the Rules of our Constitution 25/60.”
Ramaphosa said Zuma has been suspended by the ANC because he said that he is going to support another party.
“Many of us believe he has formed (the MK Party) and on top of that, he said he wants to remain a member of the ANC. The ANC constitution does not allow (this) and that is why the NEC has taken the decision that it has taken.”
The Mercury