Electoral Commission on voter registration for municipal by-elections

Voter registration this weekend for wards to be contested in Municipal By-Elections on 27 November 2019

Voter registration will be held this weekend for five (5) municipal ward by-elections scheduled to take place in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo provinces on Wednesday, 27 November 2019.

Voting stations in the wards listed below will be open this Saturday, 12 October 2019, and Sunday, 13 October 2019, 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:

In the Eastern Cape:

• Ward 20 in Mnquma Municipality – EC122, with 3 957 registered voters, which became vacant as a result of the councillor’s death. Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:

• Ward 11 in Raymond Mhlaba Municipality – EC129, with 4 680 registered voters, which became vacant as a result of the councillor’s resignation. Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:

• Ward 13 in Intsika Yethu Municipality – EC135, with 4 154 registered voters, which became vacant as a result of the councillor’s resignation. Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:

In KwaZulu-Natal:

• Ward 04 in Mtubatuba Municipality – KZN275, with 4 375 registered voters, which became vacant as a result of the councillor’s resignation. Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:

NOTE: Notice to Re-Register Voters in Ward 04 in Mtubatuba Municipality

(In terms of Section 12(1)(d) of the Electoral Act, 1998 (Act 73 of 1998))

The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has identified a number of voters in Mtubatuba Municipality who appear to be registered in voting districts (VD) in which they are not ordinarily resident.

The affected voters currently appear on the Ward 04 (Ward number 52705004) segment of the voters roll in the Mtubatuba Municipality.

In terms of section 11 of the Electoral Act, 1998 (Act 71 of 1998), the CEO is obliged to correct this by removing these voters from their current VD and re-registering them in the VD in which they reside according to the address information provided in their REC1 voter registration form.

A list of affected voters is available for inspection at the Municipal Electoral Office of the Mtubatuba Municipality at Mtuba Plaza Lot 199 Shop No. 16A Corner St Lucia & John Ross Highway, Mtubatuba or visit the IEC website at www.elections.org.za.

Notifications have also been sent in writing and via SMS (where available) to the affected voters.

Any affected voter who objects to this decision has until 4pm on Friday, 18 October 2019 to submit written reasons or representations on why their registration should not be changed.

Written representations should be accompanied by a copy of the voter’s identity document and any official documentation or other evidence in support of their case.

Representations must be submitted in person to the Municipal Electoral Officer of the Mtubatuba Municipality at Mtuba Plaza Lot 199 Shop No. 16A Corner St Lucia & John Ross Highway, Mtubatuba, Tel: (035) 550-0779

In Limpopo:

• Ward 02 in Thabazimbi Municipality – LIM361, with 4 512 registered voters, which became vacant as a result of the councillor’s resignation. 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 26 November 2019 between 08h00 and 17h00. Voters wishing to apply to cast a special vote can apply at their local IEC office during office hours between 11 and 15 November 2019.

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.

Media enquiries:
Kate Bapela
Cell: 082 600 6386

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

Election timetable for all Municipal By-Elections called on or before 25 October to be held on 27 November 2019

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

• 25 October: Notice calling the by-election on or before, and opening of nomination of candidates
• 31 October: Certification of the voters’ roll
• 4 November: Cut-off date and time for submission of nomination of candidates
• 5 November: Notify party/independent nominator of non-compliance of outstanding candidate documents
• 8 November: Cut-off date and time for party/independent to submit outstanding ward candidate documents
• 8 November: Notices: List of and particulars pertaining to voting stations and mobile voting stations
• 11 November: Compilation and certification of lists of candidates contesting a ward
• 11 November: Issue certificates to candidates
• 11 November: Opening of applications for special votes
• 15 November: Closing of applications for special votes
• 26 November: Special votes at voting stations and special vote home visits (08h00 to 17h00)
• 27 November: By-election (Voting takes place at voting stations between 07h00 and 21h00)

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