Have you registered to vote?
Well, you have one last chance to do so. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has revealed that the last voter registration weekend is scheduled for 3 and 4 February 2024. This marks a crucial opportunity for those who still need to register to participate in the electoral process.
The IEC wants to ensure widespread participation, with 26 million people on the voters’ roll and a staggering 42.3 million eligible voters. Recent voter registration initiatives have seen relative success, with the addition of a million new voters to the voters’ roll during the November 2023 voter registration weekend, despite protests in some communities.
Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo says the IEC has measures to combat challenges experienced during last year’s registration drive. “We’re working with the priority committee that functions within the auspices of NATJOINTS,” he said. Mamabolo said the IEC wanted people registering to spend as little time at the registration stations as possible.
To ensure inclusivity, the electoral authorities will take proactive steps to reach out to every eligible voter, regardless of their circumstances. This includes visiting prisons to register eligible prisoners to vote.
South Africans residing abroad have not been left out of the democratic process. The option to register online has been made available, facilitating the inclusion of the diaspora in the electoral landscape.
South Africans cast their vote in Diepsloot during 2016 Local Government Elections. (Photo: GCIS), Flickr
