IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya says the commission is aware of threats by groups behind anti-illegal immigrant protests to destabilise the elections.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) says only South African citizens will be eligible to vote in the upcoming local government elections – and only those who are not classified as dead.
IEC Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Masego Shiburi assured parliamentarians on Friday that the IEC has strict measures in place to protect the integrity of the voters’ roll.
Shiburi and other commissioners briefed parliament on preparations for the 4 November local government elections, ahead of the voter registration weekend on 20 and 21 June.
“An ID number is required to ensure that only citizens are added to the voters’ roll and that, on voting day, only eligible people aged 18 and older are allowed to vote.
“The Department of Home Affairs is responsible for maintaining the national population register, which records citizens. When a person provides an ID number at a voting station or through our online platforms, we capture it and electronically check it against the register. If the register confirms the person is a citizen, they are added to the voters’ roll,” Shiburi said.
No ‘dead’ people
Shiburi said South Africans living overseas will not be able to vote in the upcoming local government elections while abroad.
He also said the IEC ensures that people declared dead by Home Affairs cannot vote.
“If a person arrives at a voting station and is alive but listed as deceased on the voters’ roll, we explain that the classification is based on information from Home Affairs. Until Home Affairs updates their status, we cannot change it on the voters’ roll,” he said.
Illegal immigrant marches
Meanwhile, IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya told parliamentarians that the commission is aware of threats by groups behind anti-illegal immigrant protests to destabilise the elections.
MPs asked the IEC about its plans to address the alleged threats.
Moepya assured parliament that the security cluster and other government departments were handling the matter, while the IEC remained focused on ensuring the elections run successfully.