By Akani Nkuna
The Economic Freedom Fighters have criticised the Independent Electoral Commission’s plan to introduce electronic voting in South Africa, describing it as premature.
The party warns that the move could undermine the integrity and reliability of the electoral system, raising concerns about transparency and fairness in future elections.
“This attempt, first raised in 2013 and now resurfacing, is premature as it will compromise the integrity, accessibility and reliability of our electoral system,” EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo said in statement on Tuesday.
Thambo asserted that South Africa lacked the infrastructure for electronic voting, with millions, especially in rural areas, lacking access to digital devices or reliable internet.
Less than 75% of the population has internet access, and high mobile data costs further limit digital accessibility.
“The reality is that electronic voting in South Africa will only deepen inequality and disenfranchise millions of voters, particularly the poor and working class, due to the country’s deep digital divide,” he added.
This follows Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber telling an IEC Conference & Exhibition on Electronic Voting Technologies on Monday that the Home Affairs ecosystem has initiated a strategic reform journey cantered on digital transformation.
He further emphasised that by the 2029 national and provincial elections, the goal was to establish a fully operation digital ID system.
“It goes without saying that IEC systems will need to be updated to interact with new Home Affairs solutions, such as digital ID and the verifiable credential. It is therefore important that, at a technical level, the IEC participates in the process of developing these new systems to ensure full interoperability,” Schreiber added.
According to Schreiber, South Africa has a strong history of fair elections which he attributed to the IEC. However, the declining voter turnout and rising radicalism, threatened public trust in democracy.
“Ultimately, it must be the goal of reform – digital or otherwise – to deliver a better experience to the end user if we are to protect the credibility and legitimacy of our elections,” Schreiber added
Meanwhile, the EFF said that the IEC has a history of technological failures that could not be overlooked. It noted that during the 2024 polls, voter management devices frequently malfunctioned, which caused delays and weakening public trust.
Additionally, the IEC’s website was unreliable, often crashing when the nation depended on it for real-time results.
“If the IEC cannot guarantee the reliability of these basic verification systems and a website, there is no reason to trust them with a complete overhaul to an electronic voting system,” said Thambo.
The EFF further said that the ongoing electricity crisis threatened the feasibility of electronic voting. With frequent blackouts and an unstable power grid, relying on a system dependent on electricity and digital access was risky.
Without reliable power, electronic voting could lead to widespread voter suppression.
“…the IEC must focus on real and practical reforms that enhance electoral participation. The most immediate and effective solution is to implement automatic voter registration for all citizens once they turn 18,” said Thambo.
INSIDE POLITICS