The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has issued an urgent call to South African citizens residing in over 100 countries across the globe to register for the 2024 National Elections.
According to a statement released on Friday by IEC, a staggering 18,469 South Africans have taken advantage of this initiative since the launch of the online registration portal system in December 2023.
Among the top countries with active online registrations are the United Kingdom (5,938), the Netherlands (1,844), Germany (746), the United States (821), Ireland (675), United Arab Emirates (1,068), China (515), Australia (588), New Zealand (314), Cuba (293), Portugal (284), and Belgium (280). South Africans in 28 African countries, including Mauritius (316), Lesotho (224), Namibia (148), and others, have also begun the registration process.
This marks the first time the IEC has enabled an online registration facility for South Africans living abroad.
The main aim of this tool is to simplify the process for the 2024 National Elections.
In 2019, approximately 21,000 South Africans voted abroad, with 7,023 being newly registered. The Commission hopes that the introduction of an online system will attract a higher number of citizens living abroad.
To further facilitate overseas voter registration, a special two-day event is scheduled for January 26 to 28, 2024, depending on the weekend configuration of the respective countries.
The IEC encourages eligible voters to register online or in person at their nearest South African embassy mission during this period.
The Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) has notified that missions in Israel, Sudan, and Ukraine are temporarily closed due to security concerns.
However, the IEC encourages citizens in these countries to utilise the online portal for registration.
South Africans abroad can register to vote online by visiting the official IEC website (www.elections.org.za). The process involves filling out an online form, providing necessary documents such as the South African identity document and passport, and submitting the form for verification.
IOL NEWS