IEC plans to woo young and first-time voters

THE Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) yesterday announced that it had made significant progress in updating the voters roll which stands at more than 21 million South Africans.

As many as 83% of voters now have complete addresses on the roll.

This comes after the Constitutional Court last year directed the commission to update the voters roll with addresses within a specific time frame.

Speaking at the launch of the 2019 provincial and national elections campaign yesterday, IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said the commission increased the number of voting stations to 23 000, up by 300 since the 2016 municipal elections and an additional 6 000 election officials had been found.

He said at least 28 mobile voting stations would be in various areas for the elections scheduled for May.

The commission also announced an ambitious campaign to woo the country’s young and first-time voters under 30, who despite representing more than half of the population, have the lowest levels of voter registration.

Figures provided by the commission show that only 16% of teenagers eligible to vote are registered, while levels of registration among young South Africans between 20 and 29 stands at 54%.

Mamabolo said the commission was pursuing record voter registration figures and would target university and college campuses, voting districts with low voter registration and also embark on a prison voter registration drive.

South Africans living abroad will have the opportunity to register for the polls in the first four days of next month at the country’s 121 foreign missions.

Mamabolo said the commission had received 47 applications from new political parties bringing the total number registered to 285 and there were a further 37 applications.

Commission chairperson Glen Mashinini warned political parties contesting the elections to ensure that there was no intimidation in the run-up to the elections.

According to Mashinini, political parties must also ensure that their efforts to win votes do not violate the Constitution and the electoral code.

He pleaded with the parties to constantly foster and maintain an environment that ensures free and fair elections.

The next voter registration weekend will take place on January 26 and 27.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is yet to announce the exact date of the poll.