The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says this weekend’s voter registration drive will be an important milestone. It says this is because it will give every South African the opportunity to confirm their details and to register to vote.
The IEC says it is ready for the upcoming elections because plans from 18 months ago are now beginning to come to fruition. IEC chairperson Glen Mashinini has this message for eligible voters.
“This is the final registration weekend, in preparation for these elections. The resources that we have only enable us to actually have two registrations. So we urge all South Africans that this is your cup final opportunity, to get the ticket to the final contestation of the 25 years of our democracy, so we urge all the South Africans to avail themselves,” says Mashinini.
There’s pressure on first-time voters to register this weekend. These prospective voters had this to say.
“I just want to see change,” says a prospective voter.
“It feels good because now I can actually have a hand in where the country goes,” says another prospective voter.
“I’m not voting as a form of resistance, because I feel like there’s no party that represents what I believe in, and with everything that is going on within South Africa, the economy is up and down, we have inquiries about everything,” adds another prospective voter.
“You get political parties with old people. I feel like they don’t like share the same views as us,” says another prospective voter.
Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Siyabonga Cwele says his department’s offices will be open this weekend and officials are ready to assist all those that need identity documents.
“For those who have lost their IDs, we do provide what is called temporary identification certificates, so that you can be able to go and register. So, those are the documents we’ll be providing during the whole weekend of the registration, from eight to five in the afternoon, so that we can assist. Those who want to register can register. Those who want to collect their IDs can come and collect them since we’ve got quite a number of ids which are in our offices.
Watch Related Video Below:
