COME Election Day on 3 August, it is unclear whether those who have incorrect or missing details on the voter’s roll, will in fact be allowed to cast their ballot.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) uThungulu Regional Supervisor Stella Dlamini on Monday was unable to verify whether incorrect voter details reported throughout the district would impact one’s right to vote.
Dlamini told Eyethu Bay Watch that this decision was dependent on an imminent Constitutional Court ruling.
In February, the IEC announced that it would approach the ConCourt to appeal an Electoral Court ruling that forced the postponement of by-elections in four provinces.
This after the Electoral Court ordered that by-elections in Tlokwe in the North West province could not go ahead after independent candidates approached at the last minute, seeking a postponement on the basis that more than 4000 voters’ addresses were missing from the voters roll.
During this weekend’s final voter registration, similar problems emerged as voters were shocked to find missing or incorrect physical addresses when verifying their details.
Complaints
At Ward 2 in Richards Bay, uMhlathuze City Councillor Beena Simmadhri said she fielded many complaints from residents who lived in the same area for years and had voted in previous elections, but now had incorrect or missing physical addresses.
‘What happened to the information that the IEC had? It has just been swallowed and something has gone wrong. For those who did not check their details, they can probably be turned away at the polls. The IEC did not stress the fact that it was compulsory for everyone to check their details.’
Another point of contention was that the IEC did not require proof of residence.
‘This means that contract workers for example who work here but live elsewhere can vote here,’ said Simmadhri.
The IEC confirmed that they did not require proof of residence and contract workers could vote where they ordinarily lived during the time of the election.
In terms of the incorrect voter details, Dlamini said they had embarked on a project to re-capture addresses.
‘It could be that some registration forms were not captured correctly. We have since contracted a company to verify the information.’
She urged people who had concerns about their addresses on the voters roll to register and check their details at local IEC offices located at municipalities throughout the district.
Voters can do so until the official proclamation of the local government elections.
IEC offices in the uThungulu District
uMfolozi Municipality – 035 5801420
uMhlathuze Municipality – 035 9075416
uMlalazi office (11 Mangosuthu Drive, eShowe) – 035 474 5882
Mthonjaneni Municipality – 035 4507840
Nkandla Municipality – 035 8330743
Ntambanana Municipality – 035 792 8620
IEC offices are open from 8am – 5pm
