By Levy Masiteng
The call was made by Dr Zweli Mkhize, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, during a joint meeting with the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs in Parliament, over the weekend.
“We are in the forefront in supporting the IEC, and we urge them to keep liaising with all political parties to manage elections,” Mkhize said.
“Every concern raised by a political party or stakeholder must receive the attention it deserves until it is satisfactorily addressed.”
The IEC briefed both committees on preparations for the 2026 elections, and engaged on the strengths and particularly the weaknesses highlighted in the IEC report on the 2024 general elections. This included voter registration, voting stations, and training for electoral officials.
Voter apathy was highlighted as a major concern, and was attributed to poor service delivery, rising unemployment, and corruption.
“We need to work towards the necessary legislation that would enable combining national, provincial, and local government elections,” said Mosa Chabane, chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs.
“Legislation around voter registration must also be finalised.”
The committees emphasised the importance of joint meetings and collaboration between the IEC, political parties, and stakeholders to ensure the success of the 2026 elections.
“The committees appreciated the continuous collaboration between the Department of Home Affairs and the IEC during elections for extending working time for the people to get IDs,” said Mava Lukani, the committee’s media officer.
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