Electoral Commission on voter registration this weekend for wards to be contested in Municipal By-Elections on 3 February 2021

Voter registration this weekend for wards to be contested in Municipal By-Elections on 3 February 2021

Voter registration will be held this weekend for five (5) municipal ward by-elections scheduled to take place in the Free State, Gauteng and Limpopo provinces on Wednesday, 3 February 2021.

Voting stations in the wards listed below will be open this Saturday, 5 December, and Sunday, 6 December, 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.

The by-elections will be held under strict new COVID-19 protocols aimed at ensuring the safety of voters, election staff, party agents, observers and other stakeholders. These include implementing strict social distancing practices outside, inside voting stations along with the use of hand sanitisers as voters enter, and exit the voting station.

Voters, election staff and all those entering the voting station will be required to wear a mask at all times. Voters are also encouraged to bring their own pens to mark their ballot papers, although pens will be provided and sanitized after each use.

Registration will be held in the following wards.

In the Free State:

• Ward 25 in Maluti a Phofung Municipality – FS194, with 4 212 registered voters, which became vacant as a result of the councillor’s death. Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:

In Gauteng:

• Ward 07 in City of Johannesburg Municipality – JHB, with 19 111 registered voters, which became vacant as a result of the councillor’s resignation. Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:

• Ward 17 in City of Johannesburg Municipality – JHB, with 18 184 registered voters, which became vacant as a result of the councillor’s resignation. Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:
   

In Limpopo:

• Ward 38 in Makhado Municipality –LIM344, with 5 500 registered voters, which became vacant as a result of the councillor’s death. Registration and voting will take place at the following stations:

• Ward 13 in Fetakgomo Tubatse Municipality –LIM476, with 6 415 registered voters, which became vacant as a result of the councillor’s death. 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 2 February 2021 between 08h00 and 17h00. Voters wishing to apply to cast a special vote can apply at their local IEC office during office hours between 18 to 22 January 2021.

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.

For media queries:
Please contact Kate Bapela
082 600 6386

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

Also find the IEC on -

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/IECSouthAfrica
• Twitter: @IECSouthAfrica
• You Tube: www.youtube.com/user/IECSouthAfrica

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

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

7 January: Certification of the voters’ roll

11 January: Cut-off date and time for submission of nomination of candidates

12 January: Notify party/independent nominator of non-compliance of outstanding candidate documents

15 January: Cut-off date and time for party/independent to submit outstanding ward candidate documents

15 January: Notices: List of and particulars pertaining to voting stations and mobile voting stations

18 January: Compilation and certification of lists of candidates contesting a ward

18 January: Issue certificates to candidates

18 January: Opening of applications for special votes

22 January: Closing of applications for special votes

2 February: Special votes at voting stations and special vote home visits (08h00 to 17h00)

3 February:  By-election (Voting takes place at voting stations between 07h00 and 21h00)

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