The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (“the Authority”) is reviewing the Municipal Elections Broadcasts and Political Advertisements Regulations, 2011 as amended. South Africa is gearing up for the municipal elections of 2021 to elect councils for all district, metropolitan and local municipalities in each of the country's nine provinces.

The Authority published the draft Municipal Elections Broadcasts and Political Advertisements Regulations amendments (“the draft Regulations”) under Government Gazette 43984 of 10 December 2020, for public comments.

The Authority is empowered by sections 56, 57, 58 and 59 of the ECA to regulate Party Election Broadcasts (PEBs), Political Advertisements (PAs) and the equitable treatment of political parties by Broadcasting Service Licensees (BSLs) during an election period. 

The Municipal Elections Broadcasts and Political Advertisements Regulations prescribe the framework and guidelines under which PEB(s) and PA(s) must be conducted and broadcast by the BSLs, during the municipal elections, and to ensure equitable treatment of political parties by BSLs during the election period.

The Authority hereby wishes to invite interested and affected stakeholders to attend the workshops that will be conducted virtually to solicit input on the draft Regulations.

The public workshops will be held as follows:

Date: 18-22 January 2021

Venue: Virtual Workshops

Time: 9:00 A.M (SAST)

The workshops aim to solicit input on the draft Regulations and thereafter the Authority will publish the final regulation amendments based on the inputs from the workshops and written submissions.

For any enquiries please contact Mr. Paseka Maleka on (012) 568 3455 or pmaleka@icasa.org.za