IEC pleased with voter registration weekend numbers

The Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) on Sunday said it was pleased with how day two of the voter registration weekend progressed countrywide.

Various political parties went on the campaign trail to canvass South Africans to vote in the local government elections on November 1. 

IEC spokesperson Kate Bapela said on Sunday morning, with the use of new voter management devices, the commission was able to register 29,305 voters. This was in addition to the 598,000 registered on Saturday.

“The commission also reports that only nine of the 23,151 registration stations did not open on Sunday due to service delivery protests. The commission continues to work with the SA Police Service and local leaders to resolve the problems,” she said.

Apart from an incident in KwaZulu-Natal, where ANC members allegedly tried to prevent EFF leader Julius Malema from entering a voting station and campaigning in Dambuza, Pietermaritzburg, no other cases of political intolerance were reported on Sunday. 

Bapela said the registration weekend had seen an increase in use of the online portal for registration. “So far 39,519 voters have registered for the elections using the portal, which remains open until midnight on September 20.”

She said applications for special votes open on Monday and reminded political parties that nomination of candidates for the municipal elections has reopened and closes on September 21.

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