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Last chance to register?
07/11/2008 08:21 - (SA)
Cape Town - This weekend is Voter Registration Weekend, but there's a lot of confusion as to what you need to do to check if you're registered or not and if you need to change your details with the IEC ahead of the 2009 elections.
News24 spoke to Kate Bapela, the Chief Communications Officer of the IEC, to find out more.
News24: If a person has voted before, do they have to register again?
No, you do not have to register again. However, if you have moved house then you have to re-register in your new voting district.
Where can one check if you are registered?
You can send an SMS with your ID number to 32810, call the IEC toll free from a landline on 0800 11 8000 or visit www.elections.org.za and check the "Am I registered?"
Will there be another opportunity to register before the elections next year? Is this the last time people can register to vote before 2009?
Continuous registration takes place at Municipal Electoral Offices during office hours. The Electoral Commission reviews registration events from time to time and might review the situation.
Do you have a certain date in mind when the elections will take place? Are you ready to host the elections in January if need be?
The Electoral Commission (IEC) does not decide on the date. It is announced by the President after consultation with the IEC.
How much will it cost a party to get on the ballot? Shouldn't it be free?
Legislation determines that parties who want to contest the elections should pay a deposit(s) as determined by the Commission. The amount of the deposit for the National Assembly election and provincial legislature election will be issued shortly.
Is the IEC worried about the political changes happening in SA right now?
No.
What checks and balances does the IEC have in place to ensure free and fair elections?
The procedures and processes for conducting elections are clearly set out in national legislation. The Electoral Commission manages the elections in terms of this legislation, and measures include relate to the pre-election phase, the election period including Election Day, and the post election phase.
In the pre-election phase these measures relate to giving opportunities for eligible South Africans to register, opportunities to inspect the voters' roll timeously and to raise objections, the criteria for the recruitment of election staff and the opportunity to political parties to raise objections in this regard, the involvement of political parties in the location of voting stations and the overall consultation with parties regarding election processes and arrangements.
In the election period, candidate nomination processes are transparent and applied uniformly, followed by a public draw to determine the sequence of contesting parties on the ballot paper, measures to ensure the secrecy of the vote, the presence of party agents and independent observers, the opportunities for objections to be raised.
The involvement of independent auditors to verify that the results captured on the results system are the same as per the original result slip completed and signed at the voting station, the publication of the results as they are captured at local offices and which is available to political parties, media, on the website and at the Results Operations Centre.
Post Election Day: Seat calculation is done in terms of the formula as prescribed in legislation.
These are some of the measures that the Commission implements and is not exhaustive as all our procedures are geared towards free and fair elections.
What about the involvement of police in election rallies - do you think this is a good thing?
The presence of the SAPS at a political rally is within their responsibility to maintain law and order.
What other measures will be put in place to curb possible violence during elections?
The IEC is in continuous liaison with participating parties through its Party Liaison Committees at all levels to pre-empt situations as well as making mediators available. The Commission also works closely with the security services.
How long should it take for election results to be made public?
In terms of the legislation, the IEC has seven days within which to announce the results.
What happens if there's a dispute over election results?
An interested party may lodge an objection in regard to a matter that is material to the results, and also has recourse to the Courts, which includes the Electoral Court.
Kate Bapela, thank you for talking to News24
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