DA encouraged by Pretoria High Court ruling on voting rights for South Africans living abroad

James Selfe, Chairperson of DA Federal Executive
9 February 2009

The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes with interest and is encouraged by today's Pretoria High Court ruling that the current Electoral Act infringes on the voting rights of South Africans living abroad.

We are confident that our similar, but not identical application, which is due to be heard in the Cape High Court later this month, will also be successful.

In any event, both the Pretoria High Court judgment and ours will have to be referred to the Constitutional Court, since it is the constitutionality of the legislation in question which is ultimately at stake. Only at that stage will it be possible to determine which South Africans living abroad will be allowed to vote.