Deputy Chief Electoral Officer of the IEC, Masego Sheburi, says over 300 000 eligible voters registered to vote in different parts of the country by 11 am. this morning.
Sheburi was updating the media on the progress of this weekend’s voter registration campaign across the country.
Sheburi says 90% of voting stations were opened by the designated time and adds that although there were isolated incidents of trained electoral officers not arriving for duty, this did not affect the operations of the stations.
Sheburi says the registration numbers so far are a good indication for the rest of this weekend’s voter registration campaign.
“90% of voting stations were already open with the residual opening and confirming opening by 8 hours 30. Similarly, we confirm that the overwhelming majority of the 68 718 electoral officers that had been trained and assigned to voting stations did report for duty. In the initial hours of this two-day registration weekend, 326 000 voters had visited their voting stations and had their applications processed using the voter management device.”
IEC update on the registration process
Meanwhile, political parties will be crisscrossing the country as the electorate registers to vote this weekend.
This is in a bid to encourage eligible voters to register to vote.
The IEC has urged young people in particular to exercise their democratic rights and register to vote.
“The 18 to 19 demographic remains a cause for concern, as only 280 000 people are registered to vote. Highlighting what the IEC has often stressed is voter apathy amongst the youth. This voter registration weekend, the Commission hopes to change this. In the last national election, 14 million eligible voters did not cast their votes at the ballots, and as political parties take to the streets, they will seek to change the mindset of the electorate and convince them to vote next year.”
Voter Registration Weekend | 90% of venues opened on time : IEC updates
