Voter registration turnout evidence our people heeded call to advance people's power
09 March 2016
The African National Congress congratulates the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on the spectacular success of the voter registration drive last weekend. The overwhelming turnout by out is evidence that the people of South Africa heeded the call that local government is in their hands and through registering to vote they will advance people's power (see here).
The ANC notes that according to figures provided by the IEC, approximately three million South Africans visited voter registration stations around the country.
This is double the number recorded in a similar drive in 2011, and sets a new record.
The ANC led a massive registration blitz around the country during voter registration weekend. The organization's leadership visited taxi ranks, university campuses, churches and a number of public venues to encourage South Africans to take advantage of their hard-won right to vote.
The ANC notes that according to the IEC: there were 693,000 new registrations: and of this, approximately 79% were under the age of 30.
That so many young South Africans are participating in the political life of their country is a rejection of simplistic and reactionary narrative of 'disaffected youth' being peddled by certain opposition parties. In coming out in their numbers young South Africans are reaffirming their confidence in the ballot as a tool to continue the ongoing project of socio-economic transformation towards a better life for all. Our country's youth have heeded the call by the ANC for them to be part of this country's future.
According to the IEC, just over 1 million were re-registrations in different voting districts; and 1,086,958 South Africans visited a voting station to confirm and update their registratin details in the same voting station.
These numbers also show that millions of South Africans have not lost faith in the integrity of the electoral process.
The Independent Electoral Commission, set up and supported by the ANC-led government, continues to set the standard for professionalism.
In getting millions of South Africans to visit voter registration stations at the weekend, the IEC, ably led by electoral officer Vuma Mashinini - is an important institution for supporting democracy. The success of the recent voter registration drive is indicative of the faith most South Africans hold in the IEC.
According to an IEC statement, KwaZulu-Natal (24%) percent) and Gauteng (22.5%) together accounted for almost half of all new registrations. Almost 54% of new registrations were women.
The next voter registration weekend will take place on the 9th and 10th of April 2016. South Africans can also visit their local IEC offices to register.
Statement issued by Zizi Kodwa, ANC national spokesperson, 9 March 2016
