Electoral Commission on voter registration this weekend for wards to be contested in municipal by- elections on 31 August 2022, 16 to 17 Jul

Voter registration this weekend for wards to be contested in municipal by- elections on 31 August 2022

Voter registration will be held this weekend for five (5) municipal ward by-elections scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 31 August 2022. Voting stations in the wards listed below will be open this Saturday, 16 July 2022 and Sunday, 17 July 2022, from 08h00 to 17h00 to allow all eligible voters to register and for current voters to check their registration details and to provide/update address details where necessary.

Voters should take their identity document (ID) with them – either a green barcoded ID book, a smartcard ID, or a valid Temporary ID Certificate. They will also need to complete their physical home address on registration or provide sufficient particularities of their place of residence. Documented proof of address (e.g. a municipal account) is not required.

Voters may also check and update their details at their local (municipal) Electoral Commission (IEC) office weekdays during office hours.

Voters are reminded that it is a criminal offence to register and vote in a ward in which they are not ordinarily resident.

By- elections will be held in the following wards:

KwaZulu-Natal

• Ward 12 Mthonjaneni – KZN285 with 3911 registered voters, which became vacant as a result of the death of a councillor. Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:

Mpumalanga

• Ward 03 Nkomazi – MP324, with 5187 registered voters, which became vacant as a result of the councillor’s termination from party. Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:

• Ward 10 Nkomazi – MP324, with 5913 registered voters, which became vacant as a result of the councillor’s termination from party. Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:

• Ward 13 Bushbuckridge – MP325, with 6738 registered voters, which became vacant as a result of the death of a councillor. Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:

Northern Cape

• Ward 21 Sol Plaatje – NC091, with 3895 registered voters, which became vacant as a result of the councillor’s termination from party. Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:

Special voting will take place at voting stations as well as through home visits on 30 August 2022 between 08h00 and 17h00. Voters wishing to apply to cast a special vote can apply at their local IEC office during office hours between 15 August and 19 August 2022.

Applications for special votes can also be made online via the IEC’s website, www.elections.org.za. Once voters have applied online they will receive an SMS notifying them of the outcome when their application has been processed. They can also check the status of their special vote application online at www.elections.org.za.

Voters can also apply for special votes via cellphone by SMSing their identity number to 32249 (Charged at R1). The SMS application facility is only available for those applying to cast a special vote at their voting station and NOT for home visits.

For more information on these by-elections contact your local (municipal) IEC office weekdays during office hours. Contact details for all IEC offices are available on the IEC website at www.elections.org.za under Contact Us.

Although South Africa no longer has COVID-19 restrictions in place, the Electoral Commission will continue to provide the following to safeguard voters and electoral staff:

• Face masks for voluntary use by electoral staff
• Hand sanitizers at voting stations and home visits
• Disposable wipes for sanitisation of pens and voting station surfaces
• Indelible ink dispensed from bottles using a single-use disposable cotton bud.

Voters are no longer required to wear masks or face coverings within a voting station, although they may continue to do so at their discretion. Similarly, voters are no longer required to sanitise their hands on entry to voting stations, but may do so if they wish.

For more information on these by-elections contact your local (municipal) IEC office weekdays during office hours. Contact details for all IEC offices are available on the IEC website at www.elections.org.za under Contact

For media queries: Please contact Kate Bapela on 082 600 6386

For media interviews: Please email requests to spokesperson@elections.org.za

• To check that you’re registered for the elections, please log on to www.elections.org.za or send a text message to: 32810
• For information on elections, please send the text message “Hi” to: 0600 88 0000

ELECTION TIMETABLE FOR ALL MUNICIPAL BY-ELECTIONS CALLED ON OR BEFORE 22 JULY 2022 TO BE HELD ON 31 AUGUST 2022

The cut-off dates for the various electoral processes for these by-elections are as follows:

22 July:               Notice calling the by-election on or before, and opening of nomination of candidates

25 July:              Open inspection voters’ roll for objections

01 August:         Close inspection voters’ roll for objections

05 August:         Electoral Commission to decide on objections to voters’ roll

08 August:         Certification of voters’ roll

08 August:         Cut-off date and time for submission of nomination of candidates

10 August:         Cut-off date to notify party/independent nominator of non-compliance of outstanding candidate documents

12 August:         Notices: List of and particulars pertaining to voting stations and since mobile voting stations 

12 August:         Cut-off date for party/independent nominator to submit ID copy and/or signed Acceptance of Nomination

15 August:         Opening of applications for special votes

15 August:         Compilation and certification of lists of candidates contesting a ward

15 August:         Issue certificates to candidates

19 August:         Closing of applications for special votes

30 August:         Special votes at voting stations and special vote hone visits, 08h00 to 17h00

31 August:         By-Election date

                          (Note: All deadlines are at 17h00 on the date listed)