Rédaction Africa Links 24 with sabcnews.com
Published on 2024-02-03 19:14:23
The second voter registration weekend in South Africa was a success, according to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). The IEC stated that the high turnout during this final registration weekend demonstrates that South Africans are actively engaged in the affairs of the country. While this weekend marked the last opportunity for voters to register at voting stations, voter registration will remain open at IEC local offices and on the online portal until an election date is proclaimed by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, Masego Shiburi, provided a briefing on the progress made on the first day of the voter registration weekend, reporting that the online voter registration portal recorded over 20,525 transactions, with 7,234 of those being new registrations. The online registration platform will remain available 24 hours a day until the day on which the date of the election is proclaimed by the President. The IEC highlighted the significance of this weekend’s registration activity, which followed two major achievements by the Electoral Commission. These achievements include the national voters’ roll exceeding 27 million voter registrations for the first time and the continued success of the online registration platform.
Despite the success of the registration weekend, several incidents disrupted the voter registration process in KwaZulu-Natal. The IEC reported that officials were unable to gain access to eight voting stations, but the issues were resolved to ensure that registration could continue. Additionally, a person was arrested for allegedly stealing voter management devices from an electoral official’s car, although the devices were subsequently recovered. In another incident, a mentally unstable person armed with an axe entered a voting station in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, leading to the closure of the station as officials and attendees were forced to flee for safety.
IEC district officer Khulekani Mdadane expressed disappointment over the disruption, stating that the process had to be stopped for a while due to the incident. Despite these disruptions, the IEC expressed satisfaction with the number of voters who visited voting stations to verify their details.
As the final voter registration weekend concluded, the IEC emphasized that South Africans who are eager to vote can still register via the IEC’s online platform or at the IEC offices across the country. The continuation of voter registration until the proclamation of the elections by President Cyril Ramaphosa reflects the commitment of the IEC to ensure that all eligible voters have the opportunity to participate in the upcoming election.
In conclusion, the IEC recognized the engagement and participation of South Africans in the voter registration process, despite the challenges and disruptions faced during the final registration weekend. The active involvement of the public in the affairs of the country is a positive indication of the commitment to democratic participation and the electoral process.
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