The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) visited local schools in Schools Democracy Week from 20 to 24 April.
The main aim was to teach children about democracy, how to vote and their rights.
Pupils from each school made posters of their views on democracy and eagerly awaited the arrival of the IEC officials.
First on the agenda was the meaning of democracy.
Democracy is about people’s power and people governing themselves where people vote in elections for the political party that they want to govern their country.
The first democracy in the West was in Athens, Greece, in 550 BC.
“A government of the people, by the people, for the people,” Mr Abraham Lincoln, American President, 1863, said.
South Africa is a constitutional democracy which means the Constitution is the highest law in the country and no person can go against it, not even the President.
The Constitution protects democracy by separating the power of the state into three parts namely the legislature, executive and judiciary.
Second on the agenda was how to vote.
To register as a voter you must be a South African citizen, have a South African bar-coded Identity Document (ID), a smartcard ID or a temporary ID certificate, be 16 years or older (but you will only be able to vote when you are 18 years and older) and you must register in person.
Register at a registration station in the voting district in which you live or at your local IEC office from Monday to Friday during office hours.
Registration is on-going so you can register to vote whether an election is taking place or not.
When registering the barcode of your ID or smartcard will be scanned and the registration official will place a receipt in you ID book or on a form.
The receipt will show proof of application, your ID number, the voting district number of your voting station, date and time of your application and your ID book/smartcard will be checked when you vote to make sure that it is you.
Check at your local IEC office if you are registered, SMS your ID number to 32810 or go to the IEC website (www.elections.org.za) and follow the link “Am I registered to vote?”
Lastly the IEC explained some of the rights of children and the responsibility of those rights.
According to the IEC the next national elections will take place next year.
The date has not yet been determined due to the amalgamation of municipalities not yet being finalised.
The IEC needs this information to determine where their voting stations will be in the respective municipalities.
