Lerato Mbhiza
The Chief Electoral Officer for the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) Sy Mamabolo said at the media briefing on Monday that all independent candidates and political parties who intend to contest this general election must submit nomination requirements by 17:00 on 8 March 2024.
“The Electoral Commission will, after verifying the submitted nomination documents, issue notices on non-compliance where such are warranted. These notices will be issued on 18 March 2024 and those issued with such notices must rectify non-compliance by 20 March 2024” he said.
The voter’s roll officially closed on Friday and President Cyril Ramaphosa has since declared 29 May as the date for South Africans to go to the polls and he also declared the day a public holiday.
Mamabolo said the IEC said voter registrations stood at 27.6-million.
For purposes of candidate nomination, Mamabolo said the Electoral Commission promotes the use of the online Candidate Nomination (CNS) platform. “It is convenient and facilitates compliance with the requirements of the law as it provides a compliance dashboard for users. Furthermore, the online platform generates pro-forma invoices and a payment gateway for the payment of prescribed deposits”.
In term of special vote he said the organisation will send out 3000 people to assist people who are unable to go the voting station.
“In terms of home visits we are using our usual methods of popularisation one of them being exactly what it is that we’re doing right now which is making it known that they can be visited that is their infirm according to the law and anyone who doesn’t feel fit to show up at a voting station” he said.
Mamabol added that on special votes the IEC has deployed about 3000 Electoral Commissioners who will be in communities helping the public to understand what are special votes .He said people who are pregnant, older people who are disabled can apply for a special vote.
He said that the provisional voters’ roll will be published for inspection today (Monday). An electronic version of the voters’ roll will be made available at all offices of the Commission for inspection purposes.
Those who wish to object to the inclusion or exclusion of a voter on the voters’ roll must do so by 4 March 2024. The objections received on or before 4 March 2024 will be considered, investigated and determined by the Commission by 11 March 2024.
“It is important to remind role-players that objections to the voters’ roll are governed by the law. As such, both the procedural as well as the substantive requirements of Section 15 of the Electoral Act must be satisfied when lodging an objection.
“The pertinent aspects in this regard, include outlining the relief sought and establishing the basis for such relief as well as serving the objection on the person against whom the objection is raised
“The Electoral Commission re-emphasises the general principle of election administration that voters must vote where they are registered. However, in the event a voter intends to be in a different voting district on voting day, such a voter must notify the Commission of their intended absence from their voting district and the voting station where they wish to cast the vote.
“A notification portal will soon be launched for this purpose. Notifications in this regard will close on 17 May 2024”.
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