South Africans abroad urged to register

South Africans living in wartorn countries will not be able to register as voters this weekend, when other citizens abroad start registering as voters.

Already, more than 18 000 people have registered online since the online registration system was established last month.

But South Africans living in Israel, which is at war with Hamas in Gaza, Ukraine, which has been battling Russia for almost two years, and Sudan, where the army had been involved in a bloody conflict against rebel forces, will not be able to register.

South African missions in those countries are closed.

Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) commissioner Janet Love urged citizens to register online in case the conflicts in those countries subsided and an opportunity opened up for them to exercise their right to vote.

IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo said at least 18 469 South African citizens living in 101 countries around the world had registered since the online registration portal was launched in December.

The UK was leading the pack, with 5 938 online registrations, followed by the Netherlands at 1 844, United Arab Emirates at 1 068, the US at 821 and Germany at 746.

African countries were lagging behind at the last count, with Mauritius having highest number of registrations at 316 and Tanzania at the bottom with 40, following after Ghana (45), Kenya (73) and Zimbabwe (77).

The online registration was expected to be boosted by physical registration at voting stations which would be set up at the capital city in foreign countries.

Mamabolo said the online registration facility, implemented for the first time last month, was meant to allow South Africans outside the country to easily register for the 2024 nation elections.

About 21 000 South Africans abroad voted in 2019, with 7 023 of them being newly registered.

“The commission hopes that the introduction of an online registration system will attract the majority of citizens from abroad,” he said.

Mamabolo urged the foreign citizens who were eligible to vote to take advantage overseas voter registration weekend, starting today and continuing on Saturday and Sunday.

They could register online or in person at the nearest South African mission – the high commission, embassies and consulates in the country they were in.

All South African missions are listed on the department of international relations and cooperation website.

Or they could register via the IEC’s website.

Mamabolo urged businesses and organisations worldwide to encourage their South African employees to register during this registration weekend.

“Voter registration is the first crucial step towards making your voice heard in the 2024 national elections,” he said.

“It ensures you are included in the national voters’ roll, enabling you to cast your vote in the upcoming elections.”