ANC calls on citizens to register for 2019 national elections

Hours before the voter registration kicks off, the African National Congress has called on South Africans to go out in their numbers to register to vote in the 2019 national election.

Political parties are targeting the youth, in particular and in the build up to the election, the ANC is leaving nothing to chance.

The party will visit citizens around the country encouraging them to register.

ANC’s head of elections Fikile Mbalula says: “South Africans have entered a new era of hope and renewal, there’s a new determination among all South Africans to work together to grow the economy, create jobs, crime and reduce poverty.”

“This means that everyone is to lend a hand in making change happen in society, it starts with making sure you are registered to vote.”

Meanwhile, the independent electoral commission is racing against time to comply with the constitutional court ruling.

The highest court in the land compelled the commission to update the information of everyone on the national voters roll.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will visit a number of registration stations starting in Soweto and ending in Tshwane.

The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs urges all South Africans to make use of the registration weekend presented by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to update their details on the voters’ roll.

The Committee reiterates that the validity of the voters’ roll is one of the single most important pillars of a democratic state. As such, South Africans must commit to ensuring that the voters’ roll is up to date.

While it is important for first time voters to register so that they have an opportunity to make their voices heard, it is similarly important for previous voters to ensure that they are registered in the correct voter district. This will enable them to vote in the 2019 national and provincial elections.

The Department of Home Affairs has aligned its operational hours to those of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) for voter registration on 10-11 March 2018 by opening offices from 08h00 to 17h00.

The IEC will accept green barcoded ID books, Smart ID cards as well as Temporary Identity Certificates (TICs) for registration purposes and it is expected that during this period, those who qualify to vote will visit Home Affairs offices to apply for these enabling documents, among others.

Primary services to be rendered include:

• Issuance of temporary identity certificates (TICs);
• Handing over of unclaimed green barcoded IDs and Smart ID cards to applicants;
• Manual verification of Temporary Identity Certificates;
• Resolving challenges pertaining to duplicates, amendments, rectifications and death or alive cases where all supporting documents are provided;
• Collection and processing of first applications for identity documents; and
• Collection and processing of applications for re-issuing of IDs.