Make your mark

WITH a significant increase in the voter’s roll and additional voting stations set up within the uThungulu District, all is set for a bumper turnout at the local polls during next year’s national general elections.

In an exclusive interview with the Zululand Observer this week, uThungulu IEC Regional Supervisor, Thule Dlamini, said 466 620 voters had registered in the District in comparison to 390 519 in 2011.

‘This is a difference of 76 101 voters. We are leasing voting stations and redrawing voting district boundaries to ensure that voting stations are still suitable for the respective communities.

‘People don’t have to travel more than 7km to access a voting station. In each voting station, there cannot be more than 1200 in a rural area and 3200 in an urban area,’ said Dlamini.

In 2011, there were 473 voting stations, but 2014 will see an increase of 71 voting stations totalling 544.

‘On 13 and 15 September, we visited areas where new voting stations had been set up including 58 voting districts. We also held targeted communication and registration drives where we visited homes and informed people that voting stations had been changed.

Out of approximately 6.9 million people of 15 years and above in the province, 4.5 million are on the KZN voter’s roll.

‘This means about 2.4 million people have not registered in the province. The next voter registration weekend is on 9 and 10 November where voters can check if their name appears on the voter’s roll. There will also be a special week dedicated to visiting prisoners to conduct registration.’

Abroad

In terms of voting procedures for South Africans living abroad, Dlamini said the IEC would release final information pending the outcome of a court case lodged by the Democratic Alliance.

The DA is asking the Western Cape High Court to allow South Africans living abroad to vote for candidates on the national and provincial ballot.

In its application, the DA also wants voting stations to be made available in locations where there are no embassies or consulates, but where a substantial number of South Africans reside.

With 145 registered political parties on a national level, next year will also see two new political parties vying for a slice of the voter’s pie. This includes the Economic Freedom Fighters headed up by expelled former ANC Youth League president Julius Malema and Agang led by anti-apartheid era activist Mamphela Ramphele.