Posts Tagged ‘iec’

IEC launches online voter registration facility

July 14, 2021

The Electoral Commission has launched an online voter registration facility allowing new voters to register and existing voters to update or amend their registration from the ease and convenience of their homes or elsewhere.

Launched on Wednesday, the online voter registration facility is part of the Electoral Commission’s ongoing commitment to provide greater accessibility and convenience to voters.

“The Electoral Commission believes the online facility will be a game-changer in promoting voter registration especially among young and first-time voters. Research and engagements over the years with young eligible voters to better understand their behaviour have frequently identified the lack of online voter registration as a key obstacle,” the IEC said.

The introduction of an online registration system is also a crucial part of the Electoral Commission’s plans to boost voter registration despite COVID-19 ahead of the Local Government Elections scheduled for 27 October this year.

“The Electoral Commission hopes that providing a facility whereby voters can register, check and update their registration details without having to visit an IEC office or a voting station will serve to minimise congestion and maximum registration,” the IEC said.

The online voter registration facility follows the implementation of a range of other digital service channels over the past five years including online candidate nominations, online special vote applications and online party funding declarations. It has been in development for a number of years.

“The first phase was the introduction of an online service known as “Click, Check, Confirm” ahead of the 2019 National and Provincial Elections through which existing voters were able to check and amend their registration.  

“More than 350 000 voters have made use of this system since its introduction. The second phase allows all eligible voters – whether registered or not – to register and update their details via a computer, smart mobile device or tablet,” the IEC said.

The system will utilise a number of security checks to ensure the integrity of the voters’ roll. These include the use of a one-time-pin (OTP) verification and the submission of a scan or photograph of the voter’s ID document.

“The online registration complements other existing registration options including ongoing voter registration at all local IEC offices and various outreach initiatives including at schools, tertiary education institutions and the general voter registration weekends ahead of elections,” the IEC said.

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission rescheduled its planned voter registration weekend to 31 July – 1 August due to the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

All 23 151 voting stations are expected to open between 8am and 5pm over that weekend to help voters register and check their registration details in person.

Due to the 24/7 nature of online registration, the facility will also allow voters to register and update their registration details up to the last possible moment ahead of proclamation.

Proclamation has the effect of sealing the voters’ roll for purposes of an impending election.

Eligible voters can register in just a few easy steps:

  • Go to https://registertovote.elections.org.za
  • Click “Register to Vote Now”
  • Enter your personal details
  • Enter the One-Time Pin sent to your cellphone
  • Search for your address, or if you are at home, use the current location on your device
  • Take a photo of your ID OR submit a scan of your ID
  • You will receive an SMS within 24 hours confirming your successful registration.

Users who created profiles on “Click, Check, Confirm” platform can use the same login details to access the system.

“The online voter registration application was developed using a Progressive Web Application platform, which means it can be used on any device with a browser and it uses less data than most mobile apps because it does not need to be downloaded.

“It allows the system to identify and take advantage of specific features on a device. For example, if a camera is detected, the system will suggest the user take a photo of the ID document,” the IEC said.

All South African citizens aged 16 years and older in possession of an SA ID (smartcard ID or green barcoded ID book) are permitted to register as voters. Only registered voters aged 18 or older on election day may vote.

“You must register in a voting district in a ward in which you ordinarily reside and voters are reminded that it is an offence to provide false information or to knowingly register in the ward.

“In local government elections, voters may only vote in the voting district in which they are registered. There is no latitude to vote at any other voting station.

This is due to the geographic element of local government election where wards are a basis of the electoral contest,” the IEC said.

Agents at the IEC Contact Centre can assist voters with the online facility. The Contact Centre is open weekdays from 8am to 5pm on 0800 11 8000 in all languages. 

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IEC to hold new by-elections in Tlokwe

December 1, 2015
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) is ready to hold new by-elections in Tlokwe, in the North West, following the Constitutional Court’s decision to set aside the results in several wards.iec logo“The Electoral Commission commits itself to implementing the orders of the court without delay and stands ready to hold fresh by-elections in the affected wards [one, four, 11, 12, 13, 18 and 20] in Tlokwe as soon as possible,” it said in a statement.
The Constitutional Court found on Monday that the by-elections held in those wards in 2013 were not free and fair. The applicants were eight independent candidates and the ANC won all but one of the contested wards.
Before the elections, the candidates had lodged objections with the IEC over voter registrations in their respective wards. In the December by-elections in six wards, the applicants complained of delays in receiving the segments of the national voters’ roll to be used for the by-elections.
Electoral Court rejected the candidates’ claims
These segments also did not include the residential addresses for any voters. The candidates approached the Electoral Court for an order that the December by-elections be postponed, but the court was unable to convene to hear the application.
The December by-elections went ahead and six of the candidates lost. Following the by-elections, the IEC conducted its own investigation into the allegation that voters not entitled to register in these wards had been registered and their participation affected the by-election results.
“[The IEC] concluded there were a number of such registrations and some of those voters had voted, but in no case had they done so in sufficient numbers to affect the result of the elections,”  the Constitutional Court said. The Electoral Court rejected the candidates’ claims and dismissed the application.
The candidates argued in the Constitutional Court that the results in the wards be set aside, relying on the irregularities that emerged from the IEC’s own investigation.
‘The IEC welcomes the clarity’
The court said it is a legal requirement for the chief electoral officer, when registering a voter on the voters’ roll, to register that voter in the voting district in which they ordinarily resided.
“This requirement had not been observed by the IEC. In addition, the obligation to provide all candidates with a copy of the relevant segment of the voters’ roll containing the addresses of voters in the ward with their addresses was also ignored.”
The IEC said it had already implemented policy initiatives. including disseminating “materials to educate the public about the serious consequences of committing electoral fraud such as in providing false information to register in a voting district where you are not ordinarily resident”.
It also implemented a decision to capture address details before the proclamation date of an election. “The Electoral Commission has traditionally accepted the address details as provided by voters without requiring proof of residence.
The commission welcomes the clarity which the [Constitutional Court] has provided in the ruling the Electoral Commission ‘is obliged to obtain sufficient particularity of the voter’s address to enable it to ensure the voter is at the time of registration ordinarily resident in that voting district’,” it said.
“The commission is also considering further measures governing elections to further reduce opportunities for irregular and fraudulent voting. These include possibly closing the voters’ roll for a ward immediately when a vacancy arises.”

 

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Jobs available for 2016 elections

September 3, 2015

Applications are invited from suitably qualified and experienced candidates for the following positions in the administration of the Electoral Commission:

  • RS (REGISTRATION SUPERVISOR)
  • RO (REGISTRATION OFFICER)

iec

Requirements for the positions:

  1. Must be a SA citizen
  2. Must be a registered voter
  3. In the last five years must not have held political office or been a candidate in an election or have been politically active for a political party
  4. In the last five years must not have held office in an organization that has party political affiliations or aims.
  5. Must not have been convicted of serious criminal offence(s).
  6. Must have at least eight years professional, supervisory or administrative work experience.
  7. Must have a valid drivers license and have access to a vehicle
  8. Must have access to a mobile telephone
  9. Must undergo 2 days of training by IEC and achieve an assessment rate of 80%
  10. Must have a valid bank account

It is also recommended that candidates be proficient in the relevant local languages of the municipality.

The duties of the RS and RO will require the incumbent to make use of his/her vehicle in the execution of some of the functions and duties. Therefore possession of a vehicle or access to one will be considered as an added advantage.

Payment/Stipend Rates

EVENT POSITION RATE (GROSS) TRAINING CELLPHONE ALLOWANCE
REGISTRATION1

 

(6 – 7 FEBRUARY 2016)

 REGISTRATION SUPERVISOR R365 PER DAY

(R730.00)

 R150 PER DAY

(R300.00)

 R170.00
REGISTRATION1

 

(6 – 7 FEBRUARY 2016)

 REGISTRATION OFFICER R355 PER DAY

(710.00)

 R150 PER DAY

(R300.00)

 N/A
REGISTRATION 2

 

(5-6 MARCH 2016)

 REGISTRATION SUPERVISOR R365 PER DAY

(R730.00)

 N/A N/A
REGISTRATION 2

 

(5-6 MARCH 2016)

 REGISTRATION OFFICER R355 PER DAY

(710.00)

 N/A N/A

NB: All payments are subject to SARS taxation and statutory deductions

A CV (accompanied by certified documents) and a letter of application must be submitted to the MEO office 

Enquiries : Mr/Ms Mali & Gxuluwa

Municipal Electoral Office : Kouga .EC 108

Telephone numbers : 042 291 0049/042 295 2079

Fax Number  : 042 291 0049

Physical Address: Erf. 599 Park Street, Country Club, Humansdorp, 6300                                 

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS  : 11 September 2015

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New IEC boss is in the Presidency’s pocket

May 25, 2015

Vuma Mashinini, who is earmarked to be the next Chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), has been employed in the Presidency since May 2010, earning well over R 1 million a year.

duty

This has emerged in a DA parliamentary question.

Between May 2010 and April 2012, Mr Mashinini was employed as Vice Chairman of the President’s review commission on State Owned Enterprises.

In this capacity, he was able to bill an hourly rate of R1 121, capped at a maximum of 160 hours per month. This means he could have hauled in an annual bounty of nearly R2.2 million. An almost presidential salary.

In November 2012, Mr Mashinini was appointed as a full-time advisor to President Zuma on “special projects”, with a price tag of over R1.4 million a year. On his current contract, which is linked to Zuma’s term of office, he rakes in over R1.5 million per year.

Mr Mashinini is clearly on a very lucrative wicket at the Presidency. He has been enjoying the benefits of presidential patronage for years now. His proximity to the President casts real doubt on his ability to be independent and non-partisan at the IEC.

“I will submit further questions to determine exactly how much Mr Mashinini earned at the hourly rate between 2010 and 2012, and to discover exactly what the “special projects” are that he has been advising the President on,” said Dr Michael Cardo the DA Shadow Deputy Minister in the Presidency.

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A complete guide to registering for the 2014 elections

November 30, 2013

In 2014 South Africa will not only celebrate 20 years of democracy, it will also hold the country’s fifth national and provincial elections.

With the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announcing a second and final round of voter registration set for February, we bring you a complete guide to registering for the elections.

When will the elections be held?

The elections must take place some time in 2014, but the final date will only be known once the president has proclaimed it in the Government Gazette.

Who may vote?

To be eligible to vote, you must:

•Be a South African citizen
•Be at least 18 years old
•Have a green bar-coded ID book, or an ID smartcard, or a temporary identity certificate. These are all issued by the Department of Home Affairs.

Finally, you may only vote if you are registered on the voters’ roll.

How do I register to vote?

First, ensure you have the necessary identity document – a green bar-coded ID book, an ID smartcard, or a temporary identity certificate. If you don’t, you will need to apply for one at the Department of Home Affairs.

With your identity document, you must then register in person – you can’t do it online, for example, or by email.

You can then register in two ways:

• Any time before the president proclaims the date of the election, you can register at the IEC office in Humansdorp.
• On the weekend of 8 to 9 February 2014, you can register from 08h00 to 17h00 at the voting station for your voting district. Find your voting station using the map on the IEC website, or phone 0800 11 8000 on Monday to Friday from 08h00 to 17h00.

know your DA 1

Do I have to register before every election?

Unless you have moved into a new voting district, you only have to register once. If you have moved, you have to register for your new district. If you remain on the voters’ roll for your old voting district, you will only be able to vote at your old voting station.

You may have to register again if your voting district changes.

How do I check if I am correctly registered to vote?

You can check if you are registered to vote, and for the right district, in a number of ways:
•Send an SMS with your ID number to 32810.
•Check your voter registration details online – this will also give you the address of your voting station.
•Phone the IEC’s call centre on 0800 11 8000 – this is toll-free if you phone from a landline.
•Check at your voting station during the registration weekend of 8 to 9 February 2014.
•Check at your local municipal electoral office during office hours.

How old must I be to register?

Even though you may only vote if you are 18 or older, you may register on the voters’ roll from the age of 16.

Where do I register?

Any time before the president proclaims the date of the election, you can register at your local IEC municipal office – but you must first contact the office and make an appointment. The IEC has a list of municipal offices with all the contact details you need.

On the weekend of 8 to 9 February 2014, you can register from 08h00 to 17h00 at the voting station for your voting district. Find your voting station using the map on the IEC website.

Note that you must apply for registration on or before the day the president proclaims the date of the election in the Government Gazette. The voters’ roll for the election closes at 17h00 on the day of the proclamation.

What documents do I need to register?

By law, you must apply in person, and bring with you a valid green bar-coded South African ID book, or a smartcard ID, or a temporary identity certificate if you don’t have an ID book or smartcard. If you don’t have any of these, apply for one at the Department of Home Affairs.

Can I register if I’m currently living outside South Africa?

Yes, all South Africans with a valid South African ID (see above) and a valid South African passport will be allowed to register once the current Electoral Amendment Bill 2013 has been passed.

How do I register from overseas?

Go to your nearest South African embassy, high commission or diplomatic mission with your valid ID and passport. Note that you can’t register with only your passport – you must have your ID document as well. Both documents must be valid.

Can I vote before I leave South Africa?

If you will be overseas on election day and would like to vote in South Africa a few days beforehand, you can apply for a special vote at your municipal electoral office.

What happens when I register?

•Go to your voting station, municipal electoral office or, if voting overseas, your diplomatic mission.
•Fill in the Application for Registration as a Voter form
•Your ID book will be scanned
•A bar-coded sticker will be pasted in your ID book

Note that completing the form and receiving a bar-coded sticker doesn’t mean that you’re registered, it only means that you’ve applied for registration. Your application must still be processed, which may take up to seven working days.

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Over a million new voters registered

November 14, 2013

South Africa registered over one-million first-time voters last weekend, Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) chairperson Pansy Tlakula said on Tuesday.

keep calm

Addressing the media in Centurion outside Pretoria, Tlakula said the voter registration weekend had gone smoothly, with 2 512 219 people being assisted at the country’s 22 263 registration stations.

“Of these, 1 088 015 (43%) were new voters registering for the first time. Their commitment to democracy has helped boost the overall registration levels to almost 77% of eligible voters, up from 73.6% before the weekend,” she said.

The IEC chairperson said a further 1.7-million people (46.6%) used the opportunity to change their existing registration to a different voting station, and about 10.1% (253 098) re-registered at their existing voting station.

Tlakula said the number of registered voters aged 18 to 19 tripled, from 167 535 prior to the weekend to 434 370.

The registration percentage of 22.6% for this age group remained the lowest, and there was a need to attract a new generation of voters to the poll, she said.

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