South African President Ramaphosa Urges Voters to Turn Out for November 4 Local Government Elections
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his weekly newsletter to the nation on Monday, November 2, called on registered voters to participate in Wednesday's Local Government Elections, saying their votes can help build better communities and strengthen local government.
Ramaphosa said the elections, scheduled for Wednesday, November 4, were among the biggest electoral contests in the country's democratic history, with 546 political parties and nearly 137,000 candidates contesting. "The voters of South Africa have an unprecedented breadth of choice of candidates and parties. However, when we vote on Wednesday, let us strive for better, safer, cleaner and more prosperous communities. Let us vote for progress and development," he said.
He said South Africa could be proud that every election since 1994 had been free and fair, adding that public trust in the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) remained high. He urged political parties, candidates and citizens to ensure the elections were not marred by violence or intimidation, and said the South African Police Service (SAPS) had over the past few months conducted risk assessments, operational planning and simulation exercises and was ready to ensure Voting Day takes place peacefully and safely.
The newly elected leadership of the country's eight metropolitan municipalities, 44 district municipalities and 205 local municipalities will assume office as government undertakes a reset of the local government system. The Revised White Paper on Local Government, officially launched last month, proposes reforms to strengthen municipalities' ability to fulfil their responsibilities, improve efficiency and ensure accountability, and to place municipalities on a more sustainable financial footing; among its measures, revenues from the sale of electricity and water will be ring-fenced for reinvestment in critical infrastructure, and compulsory licensing requirements are proposed for water and electricity providers.
Ramaphosa said weaknesses in the current system had created opportunities for corruption and patronage, and that municipal failures had contributed to declining public trust in democratic governance, describing the elections as an opportunity to reverse this trend. "Working together, as an active citizenry, we can make South Africa better. Through our votes, we can help ensure that local government is able to fulfil the promise that our Constitution has made to our people," he said.
(Source: South African Government News Agency, SAnews)
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：南非总统 Cyril Ramaphosa（资料图）。ITU Pictures 摄，CC BY 授权，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (file photo). Photo by ITU Pictures, CC BY, via Wikimedia Commons.
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