Young voters lead registration drive as IEC processes over 330,000 applications by midday

By Thapelo Molefe

Young people have emerged as the biggest group of new voter registration applicants as more than 330,000 voter registration transactions were processed by midday on the first day of the Electoral Commission’s voter registration weekend.

Briefing the media on Saturday, IEC Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Masego Sheburi said early indications showed that young people made up the majority of those registering ahead of the 4 November local government elections.

“Indeed, the preponderance of new applicants today are young persons,” Sheburi said.

The IEC said over 300,000 registration transactions were processed at voting stations across the country, while another 30,000 applications were submitted through the online registration platform.

Sheburi said the registration weekend had started on an “overwhelmingly positive note”, with nearly all of the country’s 23,706 voting stations opening and operating as planned by 8am.