Elections 2024: KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng account for 44% of voters
The certified voters’ roll stands at 27.7 million, which is a first for South Africa say’s IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) says Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces jointly account for 44% of the country’s nearly 28 million registered voters.
It says that Gauteng has 6.5 million voters and KwaZulu-Natal has 5.7 million, followed by the Eastern Cape with 3.4 million. voters.
VOTERS ROLL AT 27.7 MILLION REGISTERED VOTERS
According to Mail & Guardian, the Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo, says the certified voters’ roll stands at 27.7 million voters. He said South Africa has not seen this registration level since the voters’ roll was first established in 1999.
“We have now grown the network of voting stations to 23 292. In ordinary terms this means the Electoral Commission is providing a service at over 23,000 points across the country,” he said.
Mamabolo said since the IEC launched the online registration portal in July 2021, 2.4 million voters had used it to either register for the first time or change their registration details.
He said according to historical trends, there are more female voters than men – 15.3 million for the former and 12.4 million for the latter.
ANC MOST VULNERABLE IN KWAZULU NATAL AND GAUTENG – IEC
“There are 954 temporary sites where physical infrastructure is not available. Temporary amenities are in the process of procurement to ensure that voters who have to use these temporary facilities also vote in circumstances that affirm their inherent human dignity,” he said.
KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng are where the ANC is most vulnerable, with polls suggesting the party will likely dip below 50% and a decline in these provinces could also jeopardise the ANC’s national majority.
The Democratic Alliance has formed a multi-party charter pact with other opposition parties to ensure the ANC’s electoral decline in the provinces.
APPLICATIONS FOR HOME VISITS WILL OPEN ON 15 APRIL UNTIL 3 MAY – SAYS IEC
He added that special vote applications for home visits and voting station trips will open on 15 April and close on 3 May. Home visits are intended for those voters who are infirm or otherwise unable to travel to voting stations.
“Voting station special votes are for everyone unable to attend the voting station on election day. Special voting will be conducted on the two days preceding election day. Special votes will also be administered at the diplomatic missions of the Republic,” he said.