Commission wants more time to update voters’ roll

Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has asked the Constitutional Court for an extension of 17 months to verify the addresses of South Africans not recorded on the voters’ roll, members of parliament were told yesterday.

Briefing parliament’s portfolio committee on home affairs, IEC senior manager on election matters Granville Abrahams said the commission had made significant progress since the Constitutional Court in 2016 ordered it to verify and add the addresses of registered voters to the roll, but wants to enfranchise more of the voting public.

“The commission had applied for an extension of 17 months. That application was launched early last week,” said Abrahams.

The number of complete addresses added to the voters’ roll increased from 34% in 2016 to 72%. The IEC were hoping to increase it to 78% by next month.

“The voters without addresses that the court has identified is currently sitting at less than 3%.”

Abrahams said chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng was yet to issue directions following their application.

The 18-month deadline the court gave the commission comes to an end next month.

Meanwhile, IEC chair Glen Mashinini said it was preparing to host elections between May 8, when the current term of office of MPs and members of provincial legislatures ends, and August 7 – the period during which the polls must take place.

“We will not rest until we meet our obligations to the country,” said Mashinini.

“We are committed to ensuring that we deliver once more a free, fair and credible election.”

Mashinini said IEC commissioners would meet President Cyril Ramaphosa tomorrow to discuss a timetable. – ANA