Poor voter registration turnout for ‘watershed’ 2024 election
Would-be first-time voter Noluthando Hadebe urges her peers to register in their numbers if they want to change their circumstances.
The voter registration weekend in Alex had a somewhat poor turnout, especially among would-be first-time voters.
But this did not dampen the spirits of Noluthando Hadebe (18), a first-time voter from registering herself to make her mark when the time comes to cast her ballot in the upcoming 2024 but yet to be proclaimed election day.
Alex News caught up with Noluthando, who requested not to be photographed, outside the Women for Peace Voter Registration Station in Ward 75. She called on her fellow would-be first-time voters to register themselves in numbers even if they are currently not sure whether they will cast their ballot when the day finally comes.
“I am one such hesitant person, but I don’t want to be left behind when the election fever catches up and you then feel like making your mark. You better register now than to be sorry later,” she said.
Registrations will continue online even after this weekend and another registration weekend will be made available come next year, for an election that is already being taunted as a watershed period like the 1994 one.
She said people were bound to change their mind especially when the election euphoria catches up and that fever must find you registered so that when you finally decide to cast your ballot, you are on the safe side as you’re already registered.
As the registration drive is aptly punted, ‘it’s your democracy – play your part’, Noluthando encouraged her peers to register in numbers because whatever irritates them cannot be solved or changed by abstaining from casting their vote. “You have the power and voice when you vote,” she added.
Presiding officers at Alex High, Dr Knak, Realogile, Women for Peace, 5th Avenue Church, and 12th Avenue Church, were more of people on holiday than at work.
They all said they witnessed a slow intake of first-time voters and that the majority were those who wanted to check and confirm their names and others wanted to change addresses.
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