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MBABANE – The numbers of people registering for the Local Government Elections for Manzini and Mbabane is picking up.
The number of people registered on Friday alone made a significant jump from 4 107 people, in Manzini, to 5 157. In Mbabane the figures jumped from 4 361 to 4 957. The general population living in various towns is around 130 000 in Mbabane, while in Manzini it was at 60 000.
The registration exercise was moving at a snail pace in municipalities. The numbers were revealed by the Government Elections Co-ordinator, Melusi Hlanze. Hlanze said the number of people who had registered to date in the 12 towns now totalled at 22 377. Registration begun on January 16, 2023 and will be closed next week on March 10, 2023. Initially, the closing date was February 24, 2023.
Registration dates were shifted due to various reasons which included that the voter education process was said to be slow, adding that some wards had not been reached.
No. of people registered Manzini 5 157
Mbabane 4 957 Nhlangano 3 244
Pigg’s Peak 1 917
Siteki 1 442
Hlathikulu 1 163
Malkerns 1 254
Ngwenya 966
Mankayane 892
Matsapha 626
Lavumisa 588
Ezulwini 242
TOTAL 22 377 According to Hlandze, there were 1917 citizens registered in Pigg’s Peak, 3 244 in Nhlangano, 1 317 in Siteki and 1 254 in Malkerns. In Hlathikulu there were 1 163 who registered for the elections, 588 in Lavumisa, and 966 in Ngwenya, 892 in Mankayane, 626 in Matsapha and 242 in Ezulwini.
He said Hlathikulu, Nhlangano, Pigg’s Peak, Siteki, Ngwenya and Mankayane were above the threshold, adding that more than 50 per cent of the population had registered.
Towns