The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) in the Free State is having all its system on track to ensure a successful election.
The commission is capacitating all electoral staff to do duty at this year’s general election.
The commission’s mammoth task includes the forthcoming voters’ registration on 26 and 27 January.
This will be the final registration ahead of the 2019 general election, the IEC stated.
Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa is yet to announce the actual date for this year’s election.
Announcement of the date when the election will be held will see the IEC go full steam to deliver the general election, national and provincial elections.
This year’s general elections will be the sixth since the dawn of the democracy, when the first-ever elections – national and provincial – were held on 27 April 1994.
Jabulani Tshabalala, provincial electoral officer, said all appointed electoral staff that will do duty at the 1 529 voting stations in the province will undergo capacity training.
This includes IEC campaigns across the Free State.
He said the spadework to ensure the delivery of the 2019 elections started with a two-day training session by the IEC Mangaung regional office. This was conducted at the Lere La Thuto High School in Botshabelo.
According to Tshabalala, officials assigned to do work at various voting stations around Botshabelo underwent intensive capacity training.
“Training sessions were held across the province until 11 January.
“These trainees will be part of the electoral supporting staff that will be dispatched to do duty at the 1 529 voting stations across the Free State,” said Tshabalala.
On 26 and 27 January, stations for voters to register – and check if they are still registered on the voters’ roll – will be open from 08:00 to 17:00.
During the two days new voters can register and existing voters can check their registration details and update them.
Tshabalala said the current number of registered voters on the voters’ roll is 1 438 958. This is a percentage of 73,67% of eligible voters.
According to Tshabalala, the provincial commission has set itself the target to register 8 948 voters on 26 and 27 January.
The voter registration for South African citizens living abroad will take place at all South African foreign missions from 1 to 4 February.
A full list of South Africa’s missions is available on the website of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation at www.dirco.gov.za.