Final voters’ registration weekend

NEXT month marks the final voters’ registration weekend. The Electoral Commission of SA previously said that all of the country’s 22 932 voting stations would be open from 8am-5pm on January 26, 2019.

This it said, is to allow new voters to register and existing voters to update their credentials. Eligible voters are expected to head to the polls in May. According to the EC, for citizens living abroad their voter registration will take place at all South African foreign missions from February 1-4.

“Registration will take place during office hours at South Africa’s 120 foreign missions, including high commissions, embassies and consulates worldwide,” the commission said adding that a full list of South Africa’s missions is available on the website of the Department of International Relations and Co-operation. While it is expected to be an eventful year in the country’s political calendar, some experts have questioned the significance of the polls and their legitimacy.

“Of course, there was a promise that ‘one man one vote’ shall deliver us to the promised land, but we have come to realise that elections are not innocent and pure as we were made to believe.

“My biggest fear is a shift from racial politics to class politics,” professor Boitumelo Senokoane said.

He added post-1994, the struggle has always been racial as black people have voted for a government that will represent their interest.

“In recent elections and politics we have seen that racial politics are slowly dying and are replaced by class politics.”

Among those who will be contesting elections for the first time next year is former mayor Patricia de Lille’s new political party known as “Good.”

Meanwhile, a series of by-elections are expected to take place next week.

Special votes will be held on January 8 and the general votes held on the next day.