After the announcement that the municipal elections would be held on 18 May, the Electoral Commission (IEC) has called on more than 900,000 new eligible voters to register and help it reach 24 million voters on the voters roll, the biggest ever in the history of South Arica.
“With the election date now set, the Commission is confident it will attain its target of 1,5 million new registered voters from this year’s registration drives. To reach that figure, the Commission is calling on the more than 900,000 people who we know have got South African, green-bar-coded identity documents to use this voter registration weekend to register,” said Brigalia Bam, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission.
“During the last registration drive held at the beginning of February, we registered more than 530,000 new eligible voters.To reach our target of 1,5 million during for the two registration drives and break the 24 million mark, we need 900,000 out there to register,” she said.
“South Africans have never let an opportunity pass without using it. Our final registration has always been the busiest. We encourage eligible voters to use this weekend to make history and break the previous record enrolment on the voters’ roll of 23 181 997 to a new record of 24 million,” Dr Bam said.
Dr Bam also called on students at tertiary institutions to register where they will find themselves on Election Day, 18 May.
All the 20,864 registration stations were opened, including those delayed by rain fall. The weekend’s voter registration drive gives new voters a chance to register. Eligible ones are being given a chance to check their voter registration status, including confirming their voting stations for the 2011 elections.
“People who have changed their addresses since they last registered, must re-register in the voting district where they now live. If they do not do so, they will effectively disenfranchise themselves, because you can only vote where you are registered in the voting district where you live,” Bam said.
The IEC appeals to political parties to assist in ensuring that voters register or re-register in the voting district where they live. The Commission continues to provide facilities for voters to verify and check their details on its website and toll free number as well as by SMS.
Dr Bam said the Commission was pleased that the registration weekend has kicked off well with minimal disruptions except rain in some parts of the Free State, Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
“We once again remind all political parties that it is their responsibility to create a climate conducive to conducting free and fair elections. The IEC maintains an audit trail of the voters’ roll for every voter that has ever applied for registration,” she said.
Until the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has proclaimed a date for the election, eligible voters are advised to continue registering or checking their registration details at municipal electoral offices during office hours. They can also SMS their identity document (ID) number to 32810, visit the IEC website, http://www.elections.org.za, to check their registration details or mobi.elections.org.za for information.
“We expect final figures of the registration weekend around Wednesday. We are confident that we will reach our target of 24 million eligible voters on the voters’ roll,” Dr Bam said.
“We thank all South Africans who have heeded our call to register, re-register or check their registration details since the February registration weekend.
“While the voting stations will close at 5pm on Sunday, nobody present at those stations at the time will be turned away before they are registered or their details have been checked,” she said.
Enquiries:
Kate Bapela
Cell: 082 600 6386
