The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on Wednesday announced a date for the national voter registration weekend ahead of the upcoming local government elections.
The IEC has set 17-18 July as the date for the once-off registration weekend.
“Over this weekend all 23 146 voting stations around the country will open from 8 am to 5 pm to assist new voters to register and existing voters to check and, where necessary, update their registration details,” the IEC spokesperson Kate Bapela said in a statement.
Various political parties have asked government and the IEC to postpone the elections to next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) wants the elections to be rescheduled to 2022 while the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) wants the local elections to be merged with national elections in 2024.
The voter education campaign will be conducted on the voter registration day as the build-up to the elections in October.
“In the lead-up to this weekend, the Electoral Commission will embark on a nationwide voter education and awareness campaign to encourage all eligible voters to make sure they are ready to participate in the elections scheduled to be held on 27 October 2021,” Bapela said.
Bapela said this campaign will span a variety of multimedia platforms including television, radio, outdoor and digital media along with targeted interventions aimed specifically at young, first-time voters.
“These will include registration initiatives at schools, tertiary education campuses and other opportunities,” she said.
“Voters are reminded that for this election the 17-18 July weekend is the only general voter registration opportunity for voters to register and check their registration at their voting stations. However, on-going voter registration will continue during working hours at local IEC offices until the proclamation of the elections.”
- Inside Politics