Home Affairs extends office hours during final voter registration weekend
Thousands of IDs are awaiting collection at Home Affairs offices across the country.
The Department of Home Affairs has extended operating hours at all its offices this weekend. The move is aimed at helping thousands of South Africans collect identity documents and register to vote ahead of the final in-person voter registration drive for the November 4 local government elections, reports The Witness.
The department announced on Friday (July, 31) that all Home Affairs offices will be open from 08:00-17:00 on Saturday and Sunday (August, 1 and 2) to accommodate the expected influx of residents seeking identity-related services.
Thousands of IDs still uncollected
The announcement comes as more than 360 000 identity documents remain uncollected at Home Affairs offices across the country.
In Pietermaritzburg alone, more than 5 000 identity documents are still waiting to be collected, raising concerns that eligible residents could miss their last opportunity to register or update their voting details before the weekend deadline.
Minister encourages weekend collections
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber urged South Africans whose identity documents are ready to collect them without delay.
“The right to vote is one of the cornerstones of our constitutional democracy,” Schreiber said.
By extending operating hours this weekend, Home Affairs is making it easier for every eligible South African to obtain the identity documents they need to register to vote.
“I encourage everyone whose identity document is ready for collection, or who still needs to apply for a Smart ID card, to make use of the extended operating hours this weekend.”
A valid identity document is required to register to vote.
Earlier this week, Pietermaritzburg Home Affairs manager Xolani Maphumulo revealed that 5 120 identity documents remain uncollected at the city’s Home Affairs office.
He urged residents to collect their IDs as soon as possible so they could register and exercise their democratic right to vote.
Maphumulo said the Pietermaritzburg office had put measures in place to deal with increased demand during the registration weekend and encouraged residents to also make use of participating banks offering Smart ID and passport services to reduce waiting times.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has described this weekend as the final opportunity for voters to register or update their details in person before the election proclamation.
Although online registration and updates will remain available until the election is officially proclaimed, the IEC has urged voters not to leave the process until the last minute.
More than 28 million South Africans are already registered on the national voters’ roll, while nearly 24 000 voting stations will be open across the country from 8am to 5pm during the registration weekend.
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Read original story on witness.co.za
