‘Safety a priority during voter weekend registration,’ says IEC

Safety will remain a priority this voter registration weekend, said the IEC.

The weekend will be different from previous years with the introduction of a new electronic system and, of course, Covid-19 regulations.

IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo told a media briefing in Centurion on Thursday that the wearing of masks and adherence to social distancing will apply at stations during the weekend.

“Voters and staff’s safety is important to us.”

The following registration protocols will adhere:

– Face mask or cloth covering of the nose and mouth;

– Social distance with a minimum of 1.5 metres; and

– Sanitizing upon entry into the registration station.

A total of 23 151 registration stations will be open from 08:00 until 17:00 this Saturday and Sunday.

The weekend gives voters an opportunity for first-time voters to register to vote and existing voters to check and update their registration details ahead of the local municipal election voting scheduled for November 1.

The day has yet to be declared a holiday.

Mamabolo said the commission requested home affairs minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi to facilitate a request to President Cyril Ramaphosa for election day to be declared a public holiday.

“This will give all voters an equal footing to participate in the elections without being encumbered by business and employment considerations on the day of voting. Participation in the local government elections is important as municipal councils play a crucial role in providing services that directly affect people on a daily basis.”

Mamabolo said new voter management devices (VMDs) will be used to register voters for the first time on a mass scale during this registration weekend.

“The VMDs represent a departure from the erstwhile ‘Zip-Zip’ machines which have been used since 1998. The VMDs will essentially operate in online mode in most parts of the country,” he said.

Each of the 23 151 voting stations will have at least one device.

“A total of 40 000 have been procured and will be in use during both the registration and election process. The VMDs will enable an almost instantaneous citizenship verification as well as the correct capturing of a residential address assisted by a mapping functionality.”

In places where internet connection is not strong or reliable, Mamabolo said systems will operate in offline mode.

Residents can also register online through the commission’s website. The online registration system would remain open until the date of proclamation of the elections expected on Monday, September 20.

REMINDER:

– To register, voters need an identity document or a temporary identification certificate.

– According to the IEC, proof of address is not a requirement for purposes of registration but one must indicate an address.

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