The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs acknowledged the progress by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (also known as IEC) in updating the voters’ roll in line with the Constitutional Court ruling compelling the IEC to include addresses on the voters’ roll.

The Committee is pleased that the registration drive has yielded results and that 75% of the voters’ roll complies with the Constitutional Court order. While the number is commendable, the Committee has called for an intensified drive to have the remaining 25% names linked to addresses.

The validity of the voters’ roll remains the single most important thing that guarantees our democracy. For this fact, every opportunity must be made to remedy the defect identified by the Constitutional court.

As a result, the Committee encourages all citizens to make sure that their details are updated on the voters’ roll. Furthermore, the opportunity presented by the IEC to register on the 10 and 11 March 2018 must be adequately utilised.

The Committee will engage the IEC to get a full briefing on the progress thus far.

 

Issued by Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee On Home Affairs, Lemisa Mashile