Duration of provincial legislatures

(1) A provincial legislature is elected for a term of five years. (2) If a provincial legislature is dissolved in terms of section 109, or when its term expires, the Premier of the province, by proclamation, must call and set dates for an election, which must be held within 90 days of the date the legislature was dissolved or its term expired. A proclamation calling and setting dates for an election may be issued before or after the expiry of the term of a provincial legislature. [Sub-s. (2) substituted by s. 1 of the Constitution Fourth Amendment Act of 1999.] (3) If the result of an election of a provincial legislature is not declared within the period referred to in section 190, or if an election is set aside by a court, the President, by proclamation, must call and set dates for another election, which must be held within 90 days of the expiry of that period or of the date on which the election was set aside. (4) A provincial legislature remains competent to function from the time it is dissolved or its term expires, until the day before the first day of polling for the next legislature.