Final chance to register to vote in 2016 local government elections
Voters urged to ensure that they register this weekend
How do I register?
Final voter registration will be done this weekend, April 9-10, from 8am to 5pm. Local government elections will probably be held in August. The last local government election was held on May 18 2011.
To vote in elections, you must register as a voter. You only have to register once, unless you move (within South Africa) or your voting district boundaries change.
Who can register?
You must:
be a South African citizen;
be at least 16 years old (you can only vote from age 18); and
have a green, bar-coded ID book; smartcard ID; or valid Temporary Identity Certificate (TIC).
Register within South Africa
When and where can I register?
You can make an appointment to apply for registration during office hours at the local IEC office responsible for your voting district.
What documents do I need to apply for registration?
By law, you must apply in person (no online or email registrations are permitted). Please bring your:-
green, bar-coded ID book;
smartcard ID; or
valid Temporary Identity Certificate (TIC).
No other forms of ID can be accepted. Only original documents (no copies) are accepted.
What happens when I apply?
Go to your local IEC office (on Victoria Street adjacent to the Labour Office)
Fill in an application form
Your identity document book is scanned
A barcoded sticker is pasted in your green ID book or on your valid Temporary Identity Certificate. If you have a smartcard ID, the sticker will be pasted on a special form that will be given to you.
Please note that completing the form and receiving a bar-coded sticker or receipt doesn’t mean that you’re registered, it only means that you’ve applied for registration. Your application must still be processed (may take up to 7 working days). Please see “How do I know if or where I’m registered?” below to find out how to check if your application was successful.
When do I have to re-register?
The IEC is continuously strive to provide a better voting experience for voters by ensuring accessibility to voting stations and trying to reduce long queues on Election Day.
You need to re-register when:
* your home address changes
*your voting district boundaries have changed. Check your voter registration details to find out if you may have to re-register.
Important: During municipal elections and by-elections, you have to vote at the voting station where you are registered, so it is important to re-register whenever you move or your voting district boundaries change (please check your registration details to check if your boundaries may have changed).
How do I know if or where I’m registered?
To check your registration details, you can:
send an SMS with your ID number to 32810 (R1.00 per SMS);
download our mobile appand enter your ID number;
check your registration details online;
check at your voting station during a registration weekend; or
check at your local IEC office during office hours.
Note: It can take up to 7 working days for your registration application to be processed.
