elections

Budget Minister Pierre Kangudia said the cost of organising the poll, which was said to be $1.8bn (£1.5bn), was too expensive.

Last year the government and the opposition agreed that new elections would be held by the end of 2017.

Elections in DR Congo are often controversial. Last year, protests against moves to delay the presidential poll resulted in at least 50 deaths.

To read the article titled, “DR Congo election: 'We cannot afford $1.8bn cost', says minister” click here

Community protest action delayed the casting of special votes on Monday, 1 August 2016, in six municipalities‚ although a majority of voting stations opened on time in what the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said was a smooth beginning for the polls.

Three motor vehicle accidents and four minor incidents of incorrect ballot papers being delivered mark the start of South Africa’s fifth local government election‚ with the majority of South Africans set to cast their ballots between 7h00 and 19h00 on 3 August 2016.

The Electoral Institute of Southern Africa (EISA) has commended the Independent Electoral Commission for taking action after ballot papers were stolen in Soweto.

Boxes containing about 2 000 ballot papers for Wednesday's local elections were taken from a delivery van in Dobsonville last Thursday.

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) says the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is becoming a target for political protests.

ISS Crime and Justice Hub Manager, Lizette Lancaster, briefed a seminar on the causes of protests, focusing on violent protests.

Vuwani residents in Limpopo have vowed to block the IEC from holding the Local Government Elections on August 3.

Parliamentarians have been urged to be wary of non-governmental-organisations who in their bid to discredit local polls, will never appreciate the country's electoral system.

Legislators noted that some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) like the Election Resource Centre would ‘perpetually’ condemn Zimbabwe's electoral system despite improvements that would have been registered.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has voiced its concerns over recent political killings in the build-up to the 3 August 2016 local government elections.

The commission has also welcomed Police Minister, Nathi Nhleko's decision to form a special task team that will investigate politically linked killings around the country.