The Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) is planning to investigate 1.1 million people with incomplete addresses on the voters’ roll, while a further 1.2 million registered voters’ have no address at all.
The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs welcomes the plans to investigate the issue. However, it urges the IEC to move with speed in order to update the details of 9% of voters.
Currently, South Africa has 26, 536, 504 registered voters. Out of this figure, 24.1 million have complete addresses.
As the IEC plans to roll out its investigations, the Portfolio Committee welcomes the initiative to use geo-coding of addresses. This will help confirm the specific location is within wards of registration. The committee believes the confirmation of addresses will play a critical role in confirming the elections are free and fair.
The committee believes the IEC must focus most of its energies on provinces with the highest numbers without addresses.
These problematic provinces include Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
Despite the issue, the committee claims it is impressed with the IEC’s readiness to hold the 2021 local government elections.
Especially with the IEC’s assertion that it has made provision to procure personal protective equipment for electoral staff to protect them against any infection. As well as ensuring voting stations do not become vectors of Covid-19.
Regarding, voter education, the committee is cognisant of the challenges COVID-19 presents to the IEC. Especially in rolling out outreach programmes and the impact it may have on voter registration weeks.
As a result, the committee is urging the IEC to look at electronic registration, as a means to encourage registration and the update of addresses.
The committee remains of the view, that in order to increase efficiencies in the electoral process, e-voting must be considered going forward.
This is essential, as using technology has the potential to drive down the costs of elections and increase operational efficiencies. It also encourages greater voter participation.
Furthermore, the committee is calling on the IEC to urgently implement its voter education to increase voter participation, especially in the 18-29 age group. Voter education must transcend the normal face-to-face and electronic media approach and should be multifaceted for maximum impact.
As per Section 159 of the Constitution and Section 24 (1) of the Municipal Structures Act, the committee notes the earliest possible date for local government elections is 4 August 2021. The latest date is 1 November 2021.
The committee welcomes progress in relation to Voter Management Devices and urges the IEC to finalise procurement processes. The committee believes these devices are critical to mitigate against any allegations of double voting.
The possible impact of COVID-19 on the processes of the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) was noted by the committee. Especially in relation to stakeholder consultations. The committee now calls for the IEC, along with the Department of Cooperative Governance and the MDB to work on a strategy to ensure adherence to deadlines.
The committee has also called for a comprehensive voter plan within the context of COVID-19. This is to ensure the commission is ready to address the possibility of COVID-19 impacting on the elections.
The committee has, for its part, committed to further engagements with the IEC to assess further progress on planning.
