'Expats should be able to vote'

2008-11-21 14:05

Cape Town - Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille will lobby for the right of all South Africans living abroad to vote, at a meeting with Independent Electoral Commission head Brigalia Bam on Friday, the party said.

Zille said that Section 33(1)(e) of the Electoral Act provides for South African citizens who are temporarily abroad - for purposes of a holiday, a business trip, attending a tertiary institution, or participating in an international sports event - to vote in national and provincial elections by special vote.

The DA believes that the section should be extended to include South African citizens who are living abroad, many of whom intend returning.

In addition, to enable these South Africans abroad to vote, it is essential for the IEC to make provision for them to register at South African embassies and consulates. This is critical if the IEC is to fulfil its constitutional mandate.

Prisoners can vote

"In most constitutional democracies, prisoners are not entitled to vote, while nationals living abroad are. In South Africa, we have the opposite situation where prisoners can vote and South Africans abroad cannot. The irony is bitter," Zille said in a statement.

Procedures are already in place for special votes and it would be possible for South Africans abroad to follow the same procedure and vote at their nearest South African mission.

A debate is running on the subject on the website www.constitutionallyspeaking.co.za , with some arguing that South Africans abroad should fly back home to vote, with others demanding that they be allowed to vote, irrespective of why they are living abroad.

- SAPA