President’s Announcement of the Election Date 2004: National Assembly

As all of us know, this year we will be holding our third democratic general elections. In this regard, the Speaker of the National Assembly announced before we adjourned on Friday that we would announce the election date today.

Again as the Honourable Members are aware, we have to consider the matter of this date together with the Electoral Commission and the Premiers of our Provinces.

Among other things, the Electoral Commission has been concerned that it should have enough time to register as many voters as possible while allowing enough time for it to do everything necessary to organise and run the elections as required by the law.

Originally we had agreed with the Electoral Commission that we should announce the election date on February 11th. Later the Electoral Commission requested that we should make this announcement a little earlier.

Accordingly, after consultation with the Electoral Commission and discussion with the Premiers, I would like to inform the national legislature and the country that the 2004 general elections for the national and provincial legislatures will take place on the 14th of April.

It is visualised that this date will be gazetted later this week, on Wednesday February 11th, after the national and provincial legislatures have approved the necessary dissolution resolutions.

Accordingly, the voters’ roll will be closed at 24:00 on Wednesday this week.

Thank you.