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IEC encourages KwaZulu-Natal youth to register to vote

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Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) electoral officer in KwaZulu-Natal, Ntombifuthi Masinga, says about 40% of young people in the province who are eligible to vote, are not registered on the voters’ roll.

Masinga was speaking at the uMfolozi TVET College at Eshowe where the IEC launched its provincial civic and democracy education campaign targeting tertiary students on Saturday.

Thousands of students and Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande attended the launch.

Masinga says they want to ensure that young people who have not yet decided to vote are at least on the voters’ roll.

“We have seen that we are not seeing great numbers amongst young people that have registered to participate in the elections. Looking at the percentage of young people that should be on the voters roll, we have a gap of about 40% of people that are eligible to vote but are not even registered.”

Masinga adds: “So, our message is that get yourselves on the voters roll whether you have decided you are voting next year or not but by getting registered now, you are leaving your choices open because once the voters roll closes, you will not be able to register which means you are depriving yourself of an opportunity to participate.”

Last month, IEC launched its annual student-targeted democracy campaign, at Rhodes University in Makhanda, Eastern Cape.

The objective is to educate the youth at tertiary institutions about their civic and democratic rights and responsibilities.

The IEC says this campaign aims to encourage the youth to participate in voting.

More details in the video below: 

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