NELSPRUIT – The independent electoral commission (IEC) expects all unregistered people who are eligible to vote to register this weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, potential voters will be afforded a final opportunity to register to vote in the general elections later this year.
According to the IEC, a total of 1 680 voting stations will be open from 08:00 to 17:00 this weekend. “The turnaround time for registration has been greatly improved and prospective voters are expected to spend little time in registration centres,” the organisation said in a statement.
According to the Electoral Commission in Mpumalanga, the current registered population in the province is 1,8 million people. This figure includes a total of 77 268 new voters which were registered during the previous registration weekend in November.
Ms Jabulisile Mthethwa, manager of electoral matters, said the IEC’s dream of reaching 2 million registered voters in the province is within reach. “Looking at the past registration weekend figures, it can be done,” she said.
Unregistered South Africans over the age of 16, those who have recently relocated to the province, and all those who want to confirm if their details appear on the voters roll are requested to visit their voting stations during the weekend. Registered voters can also SMS their ID number to 32810 to see whether their registration details are correct.
All those who visit the stations are requested to bring along their identity documents. Valid forms of identification include green bar-coded ID books, new smart ID cards and temporary identity certificates.
