District readiness for elections on track
'We have 105 wards and 553 voting districts. The commission is appreciative of the Department of Education's support as most of our voting stations are at schools'
THE Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in the King Cesthwayo District outlined the state of readiness for next year’s national and provincial elections.
Speaking at the district municipality’s Integrated Development Plan roadshow on Tuesday, IEC Outreach and Training Officer for the district, Lihle Luthuli, said they are still busy updating the voters’ roll.
‘Our greatest challenge is that when it is not election time, voters are reluctant to visit our offices or respond when we visit their areas.’
Luthuli urged various departments to include the IEC during community events so that they can conduct voter education programmes.
The country’s 22 932 voting stations will open from 8am to 5pm on Saturday, 26 January and Sunday, 27 January next year to allow new voters to register and existing voters to update and check their registration details.
Voter registration will also be conducted in January at Correctional Centres around the country to allow prisoners to exercise their right to vote.
The term of the current National Assembly and provincial legislatures ends on 6 May, and elections must be held within 90 days thereafter.
The President will announce the exact date of the elections and he recently indicated his intention to proclaim elections before the end of May.
Luthuli said voting stations in the district have been identified.
‘We have 105 wards and 553 voting districts. The commission is appreciative of the Department of Education’s support as most of our voting stations are at schools.
‘We also have community halls and churches and have minimised the number of tents being used as voting stations.
Only seven tents are currently being used in the district, but we are hopeful that we will soon do away with all of them.’
She said a process of identifying problematic areas during the previous elections has also been conducted.
‘We have created new voting stations and merged others so voters would not have to walk long distances to stations.
‘Staff who will work at voting stations have been recruited and we are currently busy with training.’
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