| (1) | In this Act, unless the context otherwise indicates— |
"chairperson"
means the chairperson designated in terms of section 8(1);
"chief electoral officer"
means the chief electoral officer appointed in terms of section 12(1);
"Commission"
means the Electoral Commission established by section 3(1);
has the meaning assigned to it in section 1 of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act No. 117 of 1998);
[Definition inserted by section 1(a) of Electoral Laws Amendment Act, 2021, Notice No. 321, GG44648, dated 1 June 2021 - effective 27 August 2021, Proclamation R.35, dated 27 August 2021]
"election"
means any election for a national, provincial or local legislative body in terms of any law;
"Electoral Court"
means the Electoral Court established by section 18;
"independent candidate"
means a South African citizen contesting an election and who is not nominated on a list of a party;
[Definition inserted by section 33(a) of the Electoral Matters Amendment Act, 2024, Notice No. 4790, GG50624, dated 7 May 2024 - Commencement 8 May 2024 by Proclamation 165, GG50628, dated 8 May 2024]
"independent representative"
means an independent candidate with representation in the national or a provincial legislature;
[Definition inserted by section 33(b) of the Electoral Matters Amendment Act, 2024, Notice No. 4790, GG50624, dated 7 May 2024 - Commencement 8 May 2024 by Proclamation 165, GG50628, dated 8 May 2024]
has the meaning assigned to it in section 1 of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act No. 117 of 1998);
[Definition inserted by section 1(b) of Electoral Laws Amendment Act, 2021, Notice No. 321, GG44648, dated 1 June 2021 - effective 27 August 2021, Proclamation R.35, dated 27 August 2021]
has the meaning assigned to it in section 1 of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act No. 117 of 1998);
[Definition inserted by section 1(b) of Electoral Laws Amendment Act, 2021, Notice No. 321, GG44648, dated 1 June 2021 - effective 27 August 2021, Proclamation R.35, dated 27 August 2021]
"party"
means any registered party, and includes any organisation or movement of a political nature which publicly supports or opposes the policy, candidates or cause of any registered party, or which propagates non-participation in any election;
"political office"
means any executive appointment or elected office, including any elected or nominated public representative of a party, whether involving remuneration or not, or any other paid office, in the service of a party;
"prescribe"
means prescribe by regulation;
"registered party"
means any party registered in terms of section 15;
"regulation"
means a regulation made under section 23;
"this Act"
includes the regulations.
| (2) | For the purposes of this Act, unless clearly inconsistent with the context, any reference therein to an election, shall be construed as to include a referendum declared by the President under section 2(2). |