Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Africanews
Published on 2024-02-02 10:59:55
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in South Africa has been successful in their drive to increase the number of registered voters to over 27 million, which includes eligible inmates in the country’s correctional facilities. It is anticipated that thousands of convicted prisoners will join the millions of South Africans at the voting booth during the upcoming elections. The IEC hopes that at least 100,000 prisoners will vote this year, a significant increase from the 15,000 inmates who voted in the 2019 elections. With a total of just over 157,000 inmates in South African correctional facilities, this marks a substantial portion of the prison population exercising their right to vote.
The right for South African inmates to vote was established after a landmark court case in 1999, granting them the ability to take part in the democratic process. This sets South Africa apart from many other countries around the world, as in most nations prisoners are not given the right to cast their vote. Despite South Africa’s high crime rates, the Constitution allows all citizens, including convicted criminals and South Africans living abroad, the right to vote.
In addition to the inclusion of prisoners in the voting process, South Africans living abroad were also granted the opportunity to register at the country’s foreign missions to cast their votes. The specific date for this voting process is still to be determined by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
To facilitate the participation of inmates in the upcoming elections, electoral staff and prison officials visited the country’s 240 correctional centers to register inmates as voters ahead of the upcoming registration weekend. Prisoners lined up at these centers, wearing their orange prison uniforms, to either register to vote for the first time or to update their details to reflect that they would be voting from inside the correctional facilities.
One inmate, Khathutshelo Mashau, emphasized the importance of prisoners having a say in the governance of the country. He expressed concerns about the legal system and the need for reforms in the way the courts operate, particularly with regards to the length of time it takes to process appeals.
This year’s elections in South Africa are highly anticipated, as the governing African National Congress faces one of its toughest elections since the end of apartheid and white minority rule. Some polls indicate that the party may dip below the 50% electoral support for the first time since coming into power in 1994.
Overall, the increased participation of prisoners in the voting process reflects the commitment to democracy and inclusivity in South Africa, allowing all citizens, regardless of their circumstances, the opportunity to have a voice in the country’s governance.
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