BLOGGING THE VIEW: 5 Reasons you should register to vote

Next weekend is the final voter registration weekend, so if you still haven’t registered to vote, do not miss your chance.

The country’s 23 296 voting stations will open from 8am to 5pm on Saturday, 3 February and Sunday, 4 February to allow new voters to register and existing voters to inspect and, if necessary, update their registration details.

Remember, you can also update your registration details online at www.elections.org.za if you’ve changed voting districts.

If you’re still on the fence about voting in the 2024 elections, here are 5 reasons to convince you.

1. Don’t vote, don’t moan
Moaning about the government is a national sport, but you can’t compete if you don’t vote! Your team might not come out on top, but your vote will ensure they have some measure of support.

If you don’t vote, you don’t earn the right to moan when things are going wrong, because you haven’t done your civic duty in trying to make things better.

2. Elections have consequences
Political parties don’t spend millions on elections for no reason.

Elections have massive consequences for the political parties, for yourself, for your family, for your community, and for your country.

Those who get in power can ensure we switch to cleaner energy with a focus on education, or they can continue the load-shedding route with unemployment and crime rampant. Your one vote will have a consequence.

3. You owe it to those who fought for your right
You might think registering and queueing to vote are a hack, but it’s less of a hack than giving your life for the right to vote.

People were arrested and jailed, tortured and killed, simply for this basic human right – and you shouldn’t take that for granted.

If you’re not going to vote for yourself or your future, vote for those who came before you, fighting for a right you now enjoy.

4. It’s your money, really
No matter who you are, you pay some form of tax, whether it’s VAT on a loaf of bread, or thousands in personal income tax, you’re paying.

You wouldn’t allow someone to take money out of your bank account and waste it, so why would you let the government waste your hard-earned money?

When you vote, you’re deciding how your taxes – your money – are being spent. Your vote could be the difference between a R22-million flag pole, or school fees for children who need it most.

5. You know best
You might be someone who says you know nothing about politics, but social media and technology mean you know a lot more than you think – and a lot more than people in generations gone by.

You know what you want for the country, so vote for those who are going to deliver.

And if you feel you don’t know enough, then get on that social media and do some research – you have the tools!

Read manifestos, check past performance, ask the hard questions, and… vote!

To check your voter status, check the Electoral Commission website – www.elections.org.za – or SMS your ID number to 32810 to get an SMS with the address of the voting station (charged at R1).

You can also find the IEC on:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/IECSouthAfrica
X (formerly Twitter): @IECSouthAfrica
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/IECSouthAfrica
Website: www.elections.org.za
WhatsApp ‘Hi’ to 060 088 0000
Call Centre: 0800 11 8000

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