Election Day 2019 officially declared a public holiday in South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged South African employers to observe 8 May, the day of National and Provincial elections, as a public holiday and encourage staff to use the day to exercise their right to vote.

President Ramaphosa on Tuesday declared the day a public holiday.

In a statement, the Presidency said all Premiers have also declared 8 May 2019 as the date of the election of provincial legislatures.

These proclamations have been published in the Government Gazette.

The President has in terms of Section 50(1) of the Constitution dissolved the National Assembly. This follows a National Assembly resolution adopted on 21 February 2019, the Presidency said.

Election Day 2019 The President has also in terms of Section 2A of the Public Holidays Act of 1994 declared 8 May 2019 as a public holiday throughout the country.

Welcoming the proclamation on Tuesday, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said the development triggers the official election timetable which the Electoral Commission will discuss with the National Party Liaison Committee on Wednesday before publishing in the Government Gazette.

The IEC said the proposed election timetable spans the next 71 days and lays down the key dates and deadlines for various milestones until voting day on 8 May 2019.

The proclamation places the preparation of the elections into a different trajectory. It gives a greater impetus to the currently unfolding election preparations, IEC spokesperson Kate Bapela said on Tuesday.

The Commission will now have to escalate preparations so that all electoral activities are accomplished in time for Election Day.

2019 South African general election: FAQ For a comprehensive list of voting and registering to vote, read our guide to voting and registered for the elections here.

When will South Africa's 2019 Elections be held?

South Africans will go to the polls on 8 May 2019 for the country's sixth democratic elections. The date was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his State of the Nation address in February.

Can South Africans still register to vote?

The opportunity for voter registrations has, unfortunately, come to an end, with the official proclamation of the election date having taken place on 26 February.

What is the proclamation of the election date?

Proclamation is a formal, legal action through a government gazette which triggers the start of the official election timetable and its associated electoral processes.

These electoral processes include the closing of the voters' roll, the cut of date for the submission of lists of candidates, certification of the voters roll, opening of special vote applications, etc. The election timetable will be discussed with political parties and published immediately following the proclamation of elections. The official proclamation was made on February 26.

Tags: 2019 South African ElectionsCyril RamaphosaElections and Votingpublic holidaySouth Africa

LINK:	https://www.thesouthafrican.com/south-africa-election-day-public-holid...
	See more stories from thesouthafrican

Most recent headlines