Under the legislation, independent candidates can contest for seats in the National Assembly and provincial legislatures for the first time.

SAFTU says citizens need to be clear about who they want to vote for in next month’s elections.

Spokesperson Trevor Shaku says they have the responsibility to ensure that workers have sufficient voter education.

“We’ve got to, as the South African Federation of Trade Unions, are advising our workers to be cognizant of this particular dynamic and that the lot of choices that have been created by the new changes in the legislature to allow independent candidates to stand, do not necessarily mean you should just vote for anyone. But you’ve got to look at the class projects of the people who are running. At the class project of the parties that are running.”

--SABC--