Double-booking but IEC drive goes ahead
Officials forced to make plan as Sea Point venue hosts wedding
RESIDENTS of Sea Point found that voter registration at the local civic centre had been double-booked over the weekend. But, according to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), this was “normal procedure” as venues were only exclusively booked for voting day.
IEC Western Cape electoral officer Courtney Sampson said: “We were aware some of the venues were booked for other things. Registration is an administrative thing so this was not a train smash.”
Yesterday, eligible voters arrived at the Sea Point Civic Centre to register, only to find that the venue was being decorated for a wedding reception. It was reported that IEC officials who were on duty were unaware of the double-booking and were forced to make another plan.
“We try to get registration venues at the voting stations. If not ,we make an alternative venue on the premises,” said Sampson.
In Kuyasa’s ward 95, in Khayelitsha, a voting station was closed down due to protests. The protest was a result of community members’ discontent around demarcation which changed ward boundaries.
Last year, the Demarcation Board made a decision that the area which previously fell under ward 95, be moved to ward 97.
The voting station was disrupted on Saturday and, by yesterday afternoon, the situation had not yet been resolved.
“We are working with police and are monitoring the situation. We do have officials at the venue but they will only work once the situation has been resolved,” said Sampson.
According to Sampson, 2.9 million people in the Western Cape have already registered, while the Electoral Commission estimated at least one million people had visited voting stations to register, update their registration details, or re-register at new and changed voting districts.
In January, the Electoral Commission said more than 80 percent of eligible voters not registered are under 30 years of age.
National IEC spokeswoman Kate Bapela said national figures would be determined and released mid-week.
She said in the meantime, the Electoral Commission was pleased to report that 20 voting stations out of the country’s 22 569 voting stations that experienced problems had been attended to.
“Many of the voting stations which were closed yesterday ( Saturday) due to community activism were able to open today (Sunday) thanks to the intervention of various stakeholders including the security forces, community leaders and civil society groups which assisted the Electoral Commission.”
Bapela said the Electoral Commission was engaging in talks with stakeholders in problem areas.
“These areas include Vuwani in Limpopo, where eight voting stations out of 45 were still closed earlier today (Sunday), voting stations in ward 60 in Ethekwini, and two in Weenen in KwaZulu-Natal.
“Furthermore, two voting stations in Khayelitsha in the Western Cape, four voting stations in Thabankulu in the Eastern Cape, and two in GaMothibi, NorthWest (were closed) remained closed.
“No effort is being spared in the quest to ensure that voters are provided with the opportunity to register.”