The final candidate lists released by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) this week show that the highest number of candidates ever will participate in the May 18 municipal elections – and that Makana is no exception.
The final candidate lists released by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) this week show that the highest number of candidates ever will participate in the May 18 municipal elections – and that Makana is no exception.
In Makana Municipality, only the ANC, Democratic Alliance (DA) and Congress of the People (Cope) are fielding candidates in all 14 wards. The ANC has 19 Proportional Representation (PR) candidates, the DA 10 and Cope 15. Makana Independent New Deal (Mind) is fielding 14 PR candidates, as well as 13 ward candidates. It is not contesting Ward 9.
The Azanian People's Organisation (Azapo) is fielding eight ward candidates, as well as four PR candidates. There is only one independent candidate, Christopher McMichael. He is standing in Ward 12, where Rhodes students will provide the bulk of the vote.
Makana Municipality has a total of 64 ward candidates and 62 PR candidates. However, Cope has fielded some candidates to contest both the ward and PR ballots. In the Eastern Cape the ANC has a total of 1 768 candidates, Cope has 1 011, DA 954, the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania 741 and the United Democratic Movement 940.
The IEC said the number of political parties contesting the local government elections had increased from 79 in 2000, to 97 in 2006, and 121 in 2011. The number of candidates had also increased significantly, from 30 000 in 2000 to 53 596 in 2011.
