Stand up and be counted!

ELIGIBLE Zululand voters are urged to register at their nearest voting station this weekend in the run-up to this year’s local government elections.

All voting stations will be opened on Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 5pm for citizens to check their registration status, register or re-register if they have relocated.

With more than 449 900 eligible voters already on the roll in the uThungulu District, the youth between the ages of 18 and 19 in particular are encouraged to come out in their numbers.

uThungulu Independent Electoral Commission Regional Supervisor Thule Dlamini told the Zululand Observer that the ‘born frees’ are optimistic about voting this year.

‘Even school pupils are registering in large numbers.’

She said this year’s voter registration would involve filling out two forms, especially for those who did not provide residential addresses in the last voter registration.

‘Voters need to have a formal physical address. Those who do not have physical addresses will be expected to fill out a residential form.

‘Residents must vote in the coming elections so that they exercise their democratic right to hold elected councillors accountable,’ Dlamini said. Dlamini dismissed suggestions of voter apathy, saying people from uThungulu were showing more interest towards the coming local government elections.

To register, one must be a South African citizen, be at least 16 years old (but voters only become eligible to vote when they turn 18) and have a green bar-coded ID book, smart-card ID or a valid Temporary Identity Certificate (TIC).

No copies of these documents will be accepted.