IEC records slight drop in voters’ roll in absence of physical registrations

The Electoral Commission (IEC) has recorded a slight drop in people registered to vote for the upcoming local government elections as a result of the absence of a physical registration weekend.

For the past 22 years, the commission recorded a consistent increase in the registration of new voters, but things turned out differently this year as there was a slight drop from 26.8 % in 2019 to 25.8 % in 2021.

Although the difference was relatively low, IEC deputy chief officer Masego Sheburi during a media workshop by the South African National Editors’ Forum on Tuesday, said this was worrisome for them.

The first legal consequence of the proclamation of election date of October 27 on August 3 was to close the voters’ roll which meant no new voters were admitted. This despite that the commission had not had a registration weekend because of a rise in Covid-19 cases.

Sheburi said without the weekend registration for new voters, the commission would not entirely fulfil its constitutional responsibility to ensure free and fair elections for everyone.

To address this, Sheburi said the absence of a registration weekend for voters was one of the commission’s main points in the court bid to have polls postponed. The commission earlier this month applied to the Constitutional Court to have the elections deferred to February next year.

While the court was set to mull over the application, the commission continues to prepare for the elections following the announcement of October 27 as the new election date.

According to the commission’s stats, young people were one of the lowest registered groups. In Tshwane, only 1 842 people aged between 18 and 19 registered to vote for the upcoming elections.

While the opposition party DA, has contested for the elections to be held this year and proposed that weekend registration open at the end of August, Sheburi said this was not possible.

He said once an election date has been proclaimed the voter’s roll must be closed and only a court could allow otherwise. Meaning that all first-time voters that did not register electronically would not participate should the elections be held this year.

25.7 million people are eligible to vote

Meanwhile, Tshwane political parties continue to gear up measures preparing for the local government elections, some also raised concerns over the closure of the voter’s roll without new voters’ registration weekend.

Regional ANC chairperson Kgosi Maepa said the elections would likely be free and fair when new voters were allowed to register.

“It will always be a free and fair election when more individuals register and more people participate,” he said.

“So if we can get that window again where people would be allowed to vote and register it would be a good thing because it would allow many South Africans to vote and exercise that right. In our democracy, the more the people vote the better for us.”

Tshwane DA chairperson Mpho Mahlape-Zimu said they were concerned over people who recently moved to the metro as they would also be affected by this.

“We live in Covid-19 times and some people who lost their jobs possibly moved to the metro for job opportunities. Without the weekend registration opportunity, such people won’t be able to vote.”

Acting provincial leader Itani Mukwevho of the EFF, which recently elected their regional leadership, said they would raise their concerns over the weekend registration with the IEC and request for the registration opportunity.

However, Freedom Front Plus councillor Sakkie du Plooy said they were not worried as much as there were online registrations.

“We are comfortable with the number of voters eligible to vote but we would have loved to have the voter’s weekend because it is also a marketing tool for parties.”