THE IEC HAS CONFIRMED VOTER REGISTRATION WEEKEND FOR 17 AND 18 JULY

As South Africa moves towards its municipal elections in October this year, the IEC has announced one voter registration weekend on the 17th and 18th of July.

On Wednesday, (Electoral Commission of South Africa) IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo announced that voter registration weekend will take place on 17 and 18 July. In previous years, this process has happened over two or three weekends. Mamabolo says that, due to the commission's finances, there will only be one registration weekend in 2021.

Mamabolo also stated that the weekend would follow strict Covid-19 protocols.

"Because of COVID-19, all departments have had to have their budgets reduced. That is the case at the IEC too. As a result, the IEC, on this occasion, will only be able to offer the country a single registration weekend instead of the normative two," said Mamabolo.

For the first time, new voter management devices will be used, which will replace the old zip-zip machines. Mamabolo referred to the 1.2 million voters with incomplete addresses on the voter's roll. He said that "the new imperatives around addresses, and ensuring people are registered in the correct segments, require a new tech device".

The IEC is hoping for a 60% voter turnout, while 70,000 candidates are expected to stand in these elections.