The Independent Electoral Commission said it wanted to test the system with a plan to roll it out for the 2024 elections but their request for funding was not granted.
Action SA is led by former Democratic Alliance (DA) Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba and was launched on Saturday.
Quite how the ANC hopes to improve its results in next year's local government elections is unclear when it seems so unfit for purpose, writes Judith February.
Briefing MPs on Tuesday, the IEC said that while COVID-19 would have a huge bearing on next year’s local elections, preparations were well underway.
The commission briefed the National Assembly’s home affairs committee on Tuesday morning on its state of readiness for the 2021 local government elections.
Chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo told Parliament that the devices would allow electoral officials to register voters in the particular part of a ward where they lived and note their address at the same time.
IEC officials briefed Parliament’s home affairs committee on the impact of an adjusted budget earlier on Tuesday.
Following an African National Congress (ANC) national executive committee (NEC) meeting, the party said that if conditions were not conducive for local government elections next year, there would need to be consultation with all political parties.
Herman Mashaba said if those who want him back in the position shared the same values as him, a political movement will be a formed next year to contest the next local government elections.
Cabinet has approved the establishment of an inter-ministerial committee to oversee the polls.
