South Africa’s top stories this week
The IEC records a slight drop in voters’ roll numbers in the absence of physical registrations, and the Western Cape government opposes an elections postponement. These are just some of the stories making headlines this week.
Time almost up to renew driving licences and discs – AA
The grace period for the renewal of vehicle discs and driving licences will end on Tuesday, August 31.
The Automobile Association (AA) is reminding motorists to renew their documents as no further extensions are being considered.
Government extended the validity of some documents because licensing centres were closed in line with lockdown regulations, causing a backlog in the renewal process.
IEC records slight drop in voters’ roll numbers
The Electoral Commission (IEC) has recorded a slight drop in the number of 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 has recorded a consistent increase in the registration of new voters, but things turned out differently this year – there was a slight drop, from 26.8% in 2019 to 25.8% in 2021.
Although the difference is relatively low, IEC deputy chief officer Masego Sheburi said during a media workshop by the South African National Editors’ Forum on Tuesday (August 17), that the drop is worrisome.
Western Cape government opposes any postponement of elections
Western Cape Local Government MEC Anton Bredell said holding regular elections is a key component of any democracy and is enshrined in our Constitution.
In a statement released this week by the Western Cape government, Premier Alan Winde said, “As a provincial government, we will oppose the postponement of the election because it risks setting a dangerous precedent, whereby suffrage and related rights can be deferred and without following the correct constitutional process. As per the Constitution, the matter must be brought before Parliament and not the judiciary. We must ensure that our elections continue ahead as planned as this is in the best interest of our democracy.”
Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula elected as National Assembly Speaker
Former Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has been elected as the new Speaker of the National Assembly.
Mapisa-Nqakula defeated the DA’s Annelie Lotriet, with 199 votes to 82, while there were 17 spoilt ballots.
Vaccines are safe to use
As Covid-19 cases in South Africa continue to rise and vaccine hesitancy remains a concern, government is appealing to people over the age of 18 to get vaccinated as a matter of urgency.
The debate on whether or not to get vaccinated against Covid-19 has been the talk of the country – and indeed the world – for many months. This week, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority and the National Immunisation Safety Expert Committee reassured the public that both the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are safe to use.
Both vaccines were subjected to rigorous testing. Clinical trials were performed to demonstrate their safety before they were cleared for use in the country. Read more by clicking here.
