The historic Constitutional Court judgment which allows independent candidates to run for office in the provincial and national elections was largely lauded by political figures who were at court on Thursday.
The judgment paves the way for independent candidates to stand for elections in national and provincial elections.
It challenged the Electoral Act 73 of 1998, arguing that it infringed on the right to exercise individual political choices.The NNM wanted the Electoral Act to be amended to allow independent candidates to run in provincial and national elections.
Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota said: "We can say now with confidence that whatever else may gone wrong the people of this country with full political power will be able to correct on a good cause and South Africa will make this the best nation around the world."
The fallout they would experience from any form of direct accountability would be disastrous for them, given the poor calibre of candidates that political parties put forward to represent the people of South Africa," Mashaba said.
