Political parties and interested groups in South Africa have until 5pm Friday to lodge objections to the provisional voters’ roll, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said on Thursday.
This comes after electronic copies of the voters’ roll were made available for inspection at all local, provincial and national offices of the IEC on 1 March 2019. Copies were also provided to represented political parties.
“In terms of the election timetable, interested persons were allowed one week to object to the inclusion or exclusion of any person on a segment of the voters’ roll or the correctness of any person’s registration details,” said the IEC.
Objections must be made in writing and delivered to an office of the IEC or via email on [email protected].
The objection must provide details of the voter to whom they are objecting and the reasons for their objection.
“In terms of the Electoral Act, objectors must also serve notice on the person or persons against whom they are raising an objection. The election timetable allows the Commission one week (until 14 March 2019) to consider any objections received and notify objectors of the decision. The voters’ roll is then scheduled for certification on Monday 18 March 2019,” the election agency said.
In terms of the recently enacted Electoral Laws Amendment Act, this is the only opportunity to object to the voters’ roll on the basis of the inclusion or exclusion of a voter and the correctness of their registration details.
After certification, objections to the voters’ roll will only be considered in exceptional circumstances or cases where fraud is alleged.
Amendments to the election legislation (section 38(8)) also gives effect to the ruling of the Constitutional Court in October 2018 that voters without addresses listed on the voter’ roll be required to provide an address before being allowed to vote.
“This means objections to the provisional voters’ roll purely on the basis of missing or inaccurate voter registration details will not necessarily invalidate the voters’ roll,” the IEC added.
– SAnews.gov.za
