Foreigners ‘can’t vote in SA and at home’

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says no Zimbabwean citizen is allowed to vote in their home country and in South Africa, as the country heads to the polls this year.

Appearing before parliament’s portfolio committee on home affairs met yesterday, Motsoaledi commented on the video making rounds on social media.

“We saw the clip because [a lot] of people sent it to us because they were worried,” he told MPs.

In the clip, an unknown man claimed that he votes both in Zimbabwe and South Africa, according to the minister.

“Fortunately in the clip, [the person] is actually showing an ID. Some of the numbers were redacted on that ID, but the little I have seen told me what is going on,” he said.

Motsoaledi pointed out that the unidentified man held a permanent residence ID. He explained the different IDs issued by the department of home affairs.

“There are three types of IDs issued in South Africa. The first one is for South Africans and we see it by the first six numbers as the date of birth.

“[The next four digits] denotes gender, which will be demonstrated by zero up to four for females and for males five to nine.

“Then the last three numbers denote nationality. They end 08 something from one up to nine.

Those are South African IDs that entitle you to vote.

“The second type of an ID is for permanent residents, meaning the person was given permanent resident status but is still a citizen of another country and the ID we gave them is exactly like the South African ID except that at the end the last three numbers denoting nationality will end with an 18 something or 19 something. That ID does not entitle anyone to vote,” Motsoaledi continued.

“There’s no way that any person will vote when they are not entitled. Voting in Zimbabwe means he is a citizen of Zimbabwe and there’s no way he can vote in South Africa.”

Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed that the 2024 general election will be held on 29 May. The president also officially proclaimed the election date on Friday.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa has since given the green light for this year’s national and provincial elections, which will coincide with SA’s 30th anniversary of democracy.

Parliament’s term will come to a close on 21 May, a few days before voting day. This means the elections will be held after the expiry of term of the sixth administration. Despite the expiry, the voting day will be within the 90-day time-frame mandated by the constitution for elections after the end of the term of the current parliament.

We saw the clip because people sent it to us