Electoral Commission of South Africa

Electoral Commission of South Africa
Agency overview
Formed17 October 1996 (1996-10-17)
Preceding Agency
  • Independent Electoral Commission
JurisdictionSouth Africa
HeadquartersElection House, Centurion, Gauteng
Employees6 705 (2020-21)[1]
Annual budgetR2.16 billion (2020-21)[2]
Agency executives
  • Mosotho Moepya, Chairperson
  • Sy Mamabolo, Chief Electoral Officer
Key documents
  • Constitution, s. 190
  • Electoral Commission Act, 1996
  • Electoral Act, 1998
Websitewww.elections.org.za

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (often referred to as the Independent Electoral Commission or IEC) is South Africa's election management body, an independent organisation established under chapter nine of the Constitution. It conducts elections to the National Assembly, provincial legislatures and municipal councils.[3]

An interim Electoral Commission was created in 1993 to manage the first non-racial election of the national and provincial legislatures, which was held on 26 to 29 April 1994.[4] The permanent Electoral Commission was established on 17 October 1996.[5] The Commission has been chaired by Johann Kriegler (1997–1999), Brigalia Bam (1999–2011), Pansy Tlakula (2011–2014), Glen Mashinini (2015–2022), and Mosotho Moepya (2022–present).[6][7]

  1. ^ Annual report 2021, 2021, retrieved 22 November 2021
  2. ^ Annual report 2021, 2021, retrieved 22 November 2021
  3. ^ "Electoral Commission (IEC) of South Africa - Overview". South African Government. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  4. ^ "Independent Electoral Commission Act, No. 150 of 1993". SAFLIII. Archived from the original on 20 September 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Electoral Commission Act, No. 51 of 1996". Archived from the original on 29 April 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  6. ^ Child, Katharine (8 November 2011). "Pansy Tlakula confirmed as IEC chair". Mail & Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 November 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  7. ^ "Mashinini appointed IEC Chairperson". South African Government News Agency. 15 October 2015. Archived from the original on 24 May 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2021.