THE Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has announced the dates for by-elections for three north Durban wards following the stepping down of Bobby Maharajh (Ward 34) Nicole Bollman (Ward 35) and Shontel de Boer (36).

Bollman has been elected to represent the DA in the National Assembly while de Boer has been elected to represent the party as a member of the Provincial Legislature.

Alongside the dates for the by-elections, two weekends have also been set aside for voter registration.

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Bollman urged residents to remember that they can only vote where they are registered.

“I strongly encourage the residents of Ward 35 to vote in the upcoming by-election. As we have seen recently, winning an election heavily depends on voter turnout. Residents cannot assume that any political party has an assured victory; the success of the by-election depends on the active participation of every resident. It’s important to remember that a by-election does not mean a public holiday, so voting will need to be planned around work schedules,” she said.

Her comments were echoed by De Boer.

“Residents absolutely must come out to vote for a councilor who will have their best interests at heart. I encourage Ward 36 residents to ensure they are registered. The DA will certainly contest this by-election and will soon begin the process of selecting a candidate, who will be announced to the residents in due course,” she said.

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Local resident Sibongile Mhlamvu said she is excited about the upcoming by-elections.

“I’m registered at Chelsea Preparatory School and I recently voted in the National and Provincial Elections for the first time. That was so exciting for me and I’m looking forward to the upcoming by-elections to make my voice heard. I think it’s empowering voting and knowing we can make a difference,” she said.

Important to remember

Ward 34: The by-election takes place on August 28. The registration weekend takes place this weekend on Saturday, July 13 and Sunday, July 14.

The voting stations for Ward 34 are Greenwood Park Primary School, St Michael’s Primary School, Effingham Secondary School, Effingham Heights Primary School, Kenville Primary School and Sea Cow Lake Secondary School. They will be open from 08:00 to 17:00.

Wards 35 and 36: The by-election takes place on September 11. The registration weekend takes place on Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28.

The voting stations for Ward 35 are Trinity Methodist Church, Atholton Primary School, NG Kerk uMhlanga, Harvest Church and Glenashley JP School.

The voting stations for Ward 36 are Rosehill Primary School, North Crest Primary School, Durban North College, Chelsea Preparatory School and Northwood School.

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