Election date announcement
The Electoral Commission welcomes the announcement by President Jacob Zuma that the fifth national general election will be held on Wednesday 7 May 2014.
The Electoral Commission has been preparing for this year’s election for the past two years and plans are well advanced to ensure a credible, free and fair election in this historic 20th year of democracy.
A key milestone in this preparation is the hosting of the second and final registration weekend this Saturday 8 February and Sunday 9 February when all registration stations will be open from 8am to 5pm to allow voters to register for the 7 May 2014 National and Provincial Elections.
The Electoral Commission would like to remind all stakeholders – including voters and all political parties intending to contest the elections – that today’s announcement of the date of the election does not constitute official proclamation of the election date. Voter registration will, thus continue until the date of the official proclamation of the election date.
Proclamation of the election date by the President and the provincial Premiers is expected at some stage in this month. The publication of this official notice triggers the election timetable that establishes deadlines for the submission of candidate lists and applications for specials votes amongst others. Consequent to consultation with political parties in the National Party Liaison Committee, the Electoral Commission will publish the full election timetable and will communicate key dates with all stakeholders via the media, its website and publication in the Government Gazette.
The Commission continues to urge all South Africans and especially the new generation of young voters make use of this weekend to register and check their registration details so that they can participate in this election to be held 10 days after the anniversary of the historic 1994 first democratic elections.
To register voters must visit their correct voting station where they ordinarily live armed with a valid South African ID document – either a green barcoded ID, a new smartcard ID or a temporary ID certificate issued by the Department of Home Affairs.
To find out the location of their correct voting station eligible voters can:
- Use the Voting Station Finder APP on www.elections.org.za. This APP has recently been upgraded and enhanced to make it user friendly;
- Call the IEC Call Centre on 0800 11 8000. The Call Centre is open from 7am to 9pm every day this week including Saturday and Sunday.
Voters who are already registered can check their registration details including which voting station they are registered at by SMSing their ID number to 32810.
For media queries: Please contact Kate Bapela on 082 600 6386
For media interviews: Please email requests to spokesperson@elections.org.za
You can also find the IEC on -
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/IECSouthAfrica
- Twitter: @IECSouthAfrica
- YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/IECSouthAfrica
- Call centre: 0800 11 8000
