P 060603Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7259
INFO AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN PRIORITY

UNCLAS PRETORIA 000229 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM SF
SUBJECT: Announcing an Election Date: What's at Stake 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Following a meeting between President 
Kgalema Motlanthe and Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) 
Chief Electoral Officer Brigalia Bam on Wednesday, February 
4, the Presidency announced that President Motlanthe would 
not/not announce the date of upcoming national and provincial 
in his State of the Nation address, scheduled for February 6, 
but would instead delay the announcement. This non- 
announcement has sparked speculation over the reasons for the 
delay. End summary. 
 
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Registration continues until date is "proclaimed" 
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¶2.  According to the Electoral Act, the voters' roll 
is locked on the day the election is proclaimed. 
However, IEC spokesperson Lydia Young pointed out 
that registration comes to a halt once the president 
has proclaimed that date in the Government Gazette. 
If Motlanthe were to announce the election date during 
the State of the Nation, voters technically could 
still register until the President proclaims the 
date. 
 
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Last Chance Voter Registration Campaign February 7-8 
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¶3.  The IEC has undertaken election registration 
drives to publicize the importance of participating in 
elections. These campaigns have cost the IEC resources, both 
financially and logistically.  An announcement by President 
Motlanthe might create confusion for potential voters wishing 
to register, who might believe it would be too late for them 
to participate in the upcoming elections. It might lead to 
charges against the government for attempting to 
disenfranchise voters by not allowing them to register to 
vote. 
 
 
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Another Test for Motlanthe - Doing the ANC's Bidding 
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¶4.  Motlanthe's tenure as President, has at times been criticized 
by the African National Congress (ANC), as he has been taken to 
task by the party for not acting fast enough to sign into law 
contentious bills disbanding the Directorate of Special Operations 
(DSO) also known as the Scorpions, and giving members of parliament 
the power to remove the board of the public broadcasters. Some 
analysts believe that Motlanthe may still defy the ANC and announce 
the election date. 
 
Lalime