South Africans who will be overseas prior to President Thabo Mbeki proclamation of elections date won't be eligible to vote in this year national elections, says the Independent Election Commission (IEC). Chief Electoral Officer Pansy Tlakula said today in Pretoria that the Electoral Laws Amendments Act passed by Parliament last year, doesn't allow South Africans who are already overseas to cast their vote during national elections later this year.

Advocate Tlakula said in terms of Section 33 of the Act, overseas based South African eligible to vote would be people on government service such as embassy staff and their households. The second category, which has been included in terms of the act, is made up of voters who are temporarily absent from the country for purposes of a holidays, business trips, studying or any other educational visit or participation in an international sports event. "Persons in the second category, must however, inform the Commission within 15 days after the proclamation of the date of the election of their intended absence including their intention to vote as well as the place where they will cast their vote," said Advocate Tlakula. The new Act also allows prisoners to vote, provided the courts gave them a fine option.

With the assistance of Department of Correctional Services, the IEC would next week be visiting prisons to afford prisoners who qualify in terms of the act an opportunity to register as voters. In a bid to reach as many youths as possible, the IEC would also be distributing voter registration wall-charts to all high schools in the country, as a follow-up to supplements printed alongside matriculation results on December 30, last year. The charts will provide learners with simplified graphical representation of the registration process, and the importance of participating in elections as one of the building blocks for the country young democracy. - BuaNews.