Cape Town - While the Electoral Commission may have wrapped up its voters’ registration weekend two weeks ago - registrations for new parties are coming in thick and fast. The latest new kid to join the IEC’s political party list is “Rebuild South Africa”, also known as RSA.
The party on Thursday night announced that it had been awarded registration approval by the IEC in terms of Section 15 of the Electoral Commission Act, 1996 (Act 51 of 1996).
“We welcome this approval by the IEC, more importantly, the fact that RSA is now a legitimate, recognised, legislated organisation with the rules and laws of the Republic of South Africa. We have been co-operative with the IEC since the registration of our political party, and have complied with all the regulatory requirements and standards as seen fit by the IEC,” it said.
It added: “Working together with all South Africans, we will continue to support programs and initiatives that reduce barriers to opportunity, with a focus on eleven priority sovereignty pillars, which are: land sovereignty, natural resources sovereignty, monetary or financial sovereignty, tax sovereignty, work and employment sovereignty...”
The party’s president, Blessings Ramoba, said the party’s vision was to create a stronger, more inclusive South Africa.
“Fundamentally, we urge all South Africans to join hands in the rebuilding of our beloved country, to a country that they wish to see and live in,” said Ramoba. He added that RSA aimed to bring together revolutionary, fearless, radical, militant activists, workers’ movements, NGOs, community-based organisations and lobby groups, under the need to pursue a peaceful, united, non-racial South Africa and to struggle for economic liberation.
Meanwhile, the IEC last month said parties who sought to contest this year’s national elections will still have to pay R200000 and up to R45000 if they wish to participate at a provincial level. So far, 285 political parties are registered for the elections and 36 more applications are currently under consideration.