Staff Reporter
Newly-formed party, Change Starts Now (CSN), has announced that it will not be contesting on the upcoming 2024 elections, citing a recent ruling by the Constitutional Court as a barrier for new parties like themselves to participate in the electoral process.
Party leader, Rodger Jardine, has released a statement citing the constitutional court ruling as a hindrance to their participation in the upcoming May 29 polls.
The Constitutional Court ruling, which was issued on Monday, pertains to the signature requirements for parties that are not currently represented in parliament.
The court decided not to enroll a matter related to this issue, effectively maintaining the existing regulations which state that unrepresented political parties must obtain 15% of the regional seat quotas from the preceding election if they intend to contest in a specific region.
CSN had recently unveiled its Change Charter along with its manifesto during a launch event held in Kliptown, Soweto, last week on Monday.
Barely two months old, the party expressed its disappointment at the Constitutional Court ruling, as it believes that the current requirements pose hardships for new political entities to participate in the democratic process.
In light of these circumstances, CSN has made the decision not to field candidates in the 2024 elections.
Instead, CSN intends to offer its support to political parties that share its values and aspirations.
