Parties Have Until Tomorrow to Pay Election Deposits

class="MsoNormalBy close of business tomorrow, South Africans will know which parties will be on the ballot paper for the 8 May national and provincial elections. class="MsoNormalIn a statement issued on Tuesday, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said only registered political parties that have paid deposits and submitted candidate lists by 5pm on 13 March 2019 will be allowed to contest the elections.

As at 9am today [Tuesday], 22 political parties had paid their deposits and 12 had submitted candidate lists. Approximately 34 parties had indicated their intention of contesting," the IEC said.

class="MsoNormalSouth Africa has seen a steady increase in the number of political parties contesting national elections since 1999: " 6 width="355 class="MsoNormalElection Year width="514" class="MsoNormalNumber of parties contesting national ballot width="434" class="MsoNormalNumber of parties which won representation in the National Assembly width="355 class="MsoNormal1999 width="514 class="MsoNormal16 width="434 class="MsoNormal13 width="355 class="MsoNormal2004 width="514 class="MsoNormal21 width="434 class="MsoNormal12 width="355 class="MsoNormal2009 width="514 class="MsoNormal27 width="434 class="MsoNormal13 width="355 class="MsoNormal2014 width="514 class="MsoNormal29 width="434 class="MsoNormal13 class="MsoNormal class="MsoNormalParties contesting both national and provincial elections are required to pay a deposit of R200 000 for the national ballot and...