What you need to know about the voter registration weekend

Drama has surrounded this year’s local government elections, with an inquiry, court cases, and postponed registration weekends the result of Covid-19 disruptions.

An election date has been set, however, with South Africans heading to the polls on November 1, and an in-person registration weekend taking place on September 18 and 19.

In May, the Electoral Commission (IEC) announced an inquiry into the possibility of holding free and fair elections during a pandemic, and in July, the recommendation was made that the elections be postponed until early next year. This created a constitutional headache because of the Constitutional requirement that the elections be held within 90 days of the date of expiry of the term of municipal councils, which ended on August 3.

However, the IEC agreed to adopt the recommendations of the report and approached the Constitutional Court to have the elections postponed until 2022. On September 3, the court dismissed the application and ordered the IEC to hold the elections between October 27 and November 1 this year.

On Wednesday (September 8), Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma proclaimed Monday, November 1, as the new and final date for the local government elections.

The 2021 local government elections will be held on Monday, 1 November #LGE2021 pic.twitter.com/5dSY2jTYR9

— NationalCoGTA 🇿🇦 (@NationalCoGTA) September 8, 2021

The registration weekend on September 18 and 19 is the last chance for in-person registrations. Here’s what you need to know:

Who can register?

South African citizens, 16 years or older (you can only vote from age 18).

To register, you must have a green, bar-coded ID book or smartcard ID; or valid temporary identity certificate (TIC).

When and where can I register?

Visit your voting station during the voter registration weekend (September 18 and 19) between 08:00 and 17:00.

Alternatively, make an appointment to apply for registration during office hours at the local IEC office responsible for your voting district.

What documents do I need to apply for registration?

Take along your green, bar-coded ID book; smartcard ID; or valid TIC.

No other forms of ID can be accepted. Only original documents (no copies) are accepted.

What happens when I apply?

Once you have completed the registration form, your ID is scanned and a bar-coded sticker is pasted in your green ID book or on your valid TIC.

Completing the form and receiving a bar-coded sticker or receipt doesn’t mean that you’re registered; it only means that you have applied for registration.

Your application must still be processed (may take up to seven working days).

When do I have to re-register?

You need to re-register when:

• Your home address changes.
• If IEC informs you that your voting district boundaries have changed.

How to register online

If you are not able to register in person on this specific weekend, the IEC has also implemented an online voter registration system, allowing new voters to register and existing voters to update or amend their registration details.

Due to the 24/7 nature of online registration, users will be able to register or update their details anytime before proclamation on September 20. However, it is recommended that all eligible voters update their details as soon as possible.

Eligible voters can register in just a few easy steps:

1. Go to https://registertovote.elections.org.za.
2. Click ‘Register to Vote Now’.
3. Enter your personal details.
4. Enter the one-time pin sent to your cellphone.
5. Search for your address, or – if you are at home – use the current location on your device.
6. Take a photo of your ID OR submit a scan of your ID.
7. You will receive an SMS within 24 hours confirming your successful registration.

Users who created profiles on the ‘Click, Check, Confirm’ platform can use the same login details to access the system.

For more information on voter registration, visit the official Electoral Commission website by clicking here.

Online registrations close at midnight on Monday, September 20.