The Electoral Commission (IEC) says 23 296 voting stations will open from 08h00 to 17h00 on Saturday 3 February and Sunday 4 February 2024 to allow new voters to register and existing voters to check and update their registration details.
The second national voter registration weekend is part of the Electoral Commission’s effort to ensure that South Africans, who were unable to register to vote during the first registration drive in November 2023, have another opportunity to do so.
Following the first registration weekend held in November 2023, the voters’ roll contains 26.8 million voters. The Electoral Commission is hopeful that the second registration weekend will build on and surpass the satisfactory turn out recorded in November.
Existing voters can update and/or change their details before the voters’ roll is closed for the 2024 General Elections.
South Africans living abroad were given the opportunity to register at South Africa’s 120 high commissions, embassies, and consulates on January 26, 27 and 28.
Registration for inmates at correctional centres is scheduled to take place between January 30 and February 1.
“The Commission has been informed that due to the transfer factor for inmates, correctional centres will also be accepting IDs for inmates serving sentences in distant towns or provinces. These identity documents will be transferred to the relevant facilities where inmates are incarcerated,” the IEC said in a statement.
The Department of Correctional Services has indicated that it will put all necessary measures in place to ensure that IDs are kept safe.
ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION
The IEC online voter registration portal will remain accessible until the date of the proclamation of the elections, providing an additional avenue for voter registration.
Citizens aged 16 years and older can register to vote. All they need are a South African identity document (ID), either a green barcoded ID book, smartcard ID or a valid temporary ID certificate.
When registering, voters will need to provide their address or a description of where they live to allow the Electoral Commission to place them on the correct segment of the voters’ roll. However, proof of an address is not a requirement to register as a voter.
Registered voters can visit the Electoral Commission website (www.elections.org.za) to check their current registration details and voting station location. They can also SMS their ID number to 32810 to receive an SMS containing the address of their voting station (charged at R1).
The Electoral Commission’s helpline is available to assist citizens with queries and information about the registration process and information related to location of voting station.
The contact centre, which can be reached on 0800 11 8000, operates from 08h00 to 17h00 weekdays. It will be closed from 25 December and reopen on 2 January 2024.