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Court backs S Africa expat vote | |
(3 days later) | |
South Africans living abroad should be allowed to vote, according to a ruling by Pretoria High Court. | South Africans living abroad should be allowed to vote, according to a ruling by Pretoria High Court. |
The decision could mean a delay to elections, due in April or May, to allow time for the law to be changed. | The decision could mean a delay to elections, due in April or May, to allow time for the law to be changed. |
The court found current laws breached the rights of South Africans living abroad and referred the judgment to the Constitutional Court for confirmation. | The court found current laws breached the rights of South Africans living abroad and referred the judgment to the Constitutional Court for confirmation. |
The government says it will not comment until it has studied the ruling. Some two million South Africans live abroad. | The government says it will not comment until it has studied the ruling. Some two million South Africans live abroad. |
John Battersby, of the Global South Africans Network in the UK, said that of these, 5-600,000 were in the UK. | John Battersby, of the Global South Africans Network in the UK, said that of these, 5-600,000 were in the UK. |
"It might be a difficult decision to implement in a short space of time," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. | "It might be a difficult decision to implement in a short space of time," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. |
The court ordered the electoral commission to change its procedures to let South Africans living abroad to vote. | The court ordered the electoral commission to change its procedures to let South Africans living abroad to vote. |
Tight contest | Tight contest |
The opposition Afrikaner nationalist Freedom Front Plus party had brought the legal application on behalf of a South African school teacher living in the UK. | The opposition Afrikaner nationalist Freedom Front Plus party had brought the legal application on behalf of a South African school teacher living in the UK. |
Speaking outside the court, party spokesman Willie Spies told Sapa news agency it was still possible the Constitutional Court, the country's highest court, could overrule the judgment. | Speaking outside the court, party spokesman Willie Spies told Sapa news agency it was still possible the Constitutional Court, the country's highest court, could overrule the judgment. |
The party said it was filing an application for the proclamation of election day to be postponed to allow the Constitutional Court ample time to consider the matter. | The party said it was filing an application for the proclamation of election day to be postponed to allow the Constitutional Court ample time to consider the matter. |
The date for the elections was expected this week. | The date for the elections was expected this week. |
Currently certain groups, including government employees and people on holiday and business trips, are entitled to vote while out of the country. | Currently certain groups, including government employees and people on holiday and business trips, are entitled to vote while out of the country. |
The poll is shaping up to be the most interesting since the end of apartheid in 1994. | The poll is shaping up to be the most interesting since the end of apartheid in 1994. |
African National Congress (ANC) leader Jacob Zuma is the front-runner to become president but his bid has been overshadowed by the corruption charges he is facing. | African National Congress (ANC) leader Jacob Zuma is the front-runner to become president but his bid has been overshadowed by the corruption charges he is facing. |
Bitter divisions in the ruling party recently led to the launch of the breakaway Congress of the People (Cope) party, which could win enough votes to deny the ANC a two-thirds majority to parliament, needed to change the constitution. | Bitter divisions in the ruling party recently led to the launch of the breakaway Congress of the People (Cope) party, which could win enough votes to deny the ANC a two-thirds majority to parliament, needed to change the constitution. |
The tensions have spilled over into clashes between groups of rival supporters. | The tensions have spilled over into clashes between groups of rival supporters. |