VOTERS in South Africa will head to the polls on Monday to elect local representatives, with the ruling African National Congress (ANC) facing its stiffest test since the end of apartheid.
South Africa’s constitutional court in September ordered the municipal government election be held this year, rejecting a request by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) which sought a postponement fearing that the COVID-19 pandemic would make it difficult to organise a free and fair election.
“The ballot will go ahead as per the court judgement notwithstanding the challenges we face in delivering this election,” Glen Mashinini, chairperson of the IEC, told Al Jazeera.
The shortened campaign period of eight weeks has left political parties scrambling to convince a sceptical electorate to back them in an election that will decide who will be tasked with the delivery of basic services such as water and electricity.
The ANC, which has won every
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