Minister Des van Rooyen in his capacity as the chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Elections visited Tlokwe for the second time in this week. His visit on 9 July 2016 was yet another key milestone in process towards the 2016 Local Government Elections scheduled for 3 August 2016. In all his engagements in Tlokwe, Minister van Rooyen emphasised the importance of ensuring full compliance with the ruling of Constitutional Court on 14 June 2016.
The Minister’s visit to Tlokwe followed the constitutional court order that elections can continue in the country with the current voters roll that does not have addresses except only in Tlokwe segment. Since the judgement, the IEC identified a total of 9953 registered voters who are already on the voters roll without addresses as required by the Kham and electoral court judgement. These voters are spread through 29 wards and the 76 voting districts. The Tlokwe segment of the Voter's roll will be certified on 15 July 2016, as such this put pressure on all of us to finalise this list.
Once again, the Minister crisscrossed Tlokwe visiting voting stations and engaging communities and stakeholders and saw first-hand the operations of the IEC on the ground. In addition, the Minister was briefed by both the IEC and the Tlokwe Municipality about the progress thus far and the continuing work to ensure that registered voters visit the voting stations to provide the missing addresses.
The Minister appealed to all stakeholders including media, community structures, political parties, candidates and others in Tlokwe and surrounding areas to assist in spreading the messages and encouraging the registered voters to visit the voting stations throughout the weekend of 9 to 10 July 2016.
“The campaign calling the registered voters in Tlokwe to provide their addresses is taking place during an important month is South Africa. This month of July honour the life of the founding father of our democracy, the late former President Nelson Mandela. The former President always encouraged selflessness in the service of our communities.
Delivering a keynote address at the National Summit for Organised Local Government held in Durban on 22 November 1996, the late former President Nelson Mandela said, “You have the task of doing whatever is necessary to ensure that our new local government system serves the needs of our communities. You have the responsibility to make their voice heard and to provide an effective instrument for them to improve their lives”. The Minister encouraged stakeholders to be inspired by these words of the founding father of the democratic South Africa. “Let’s all make an effort to make the local government elections possible for all the registered voters, including here in Tlokwe”, said Minister van Rooyen.
The Minister expressed his appreciation about the work already done by various stakeholders, but urged more to be done to ensure that all those sought are found and their addresses are included in the voter’s roll. Minister also thanked all those who came to provide addresses. “You came out to provide your addresses because you understood that a strong democratic local government will give you as communities a voice and the power to make development possible. Your understanding of the importance of the democratic local government and its strategic significance to move the country forward to achieve the objectives we set ourselves through the National Development Plan, resonates well for our country and its development.
The Minister was also informed that the search of the registered voters is made difficult by a number of factors. Some of these factors include the fact that some people might have migrated to other areas and provinces or some might be visiting other areas.
Once again, Minister van Rooyen sounded a clarion call to all stakeholders to join hands with the IEC to trace this registered voters on the Tlokwe segment of the voter’s roll.
We believe that if all registered voters can cast their ballots, we will be contributing to build a strong democracy. To this end, Minister van Rooyen said, “indeed as President Mandela once said, It is in our hands” – we need to work together to make local government to work.
Enquiries:
Legadima Leso
COGTA – Communications
Cell: 083 378 9495
