Elections 2024: South Africans to mark their ‘X’ in 11 weeks
South Africans eligible to vote in the 2024 general elections have 11 weeks in which to decide who gets their ‘X’. Will you be voting?
Those South Africans eligible to vote in the 2024 general elections have exactly 11 weeks in which to decide who gets their ‘X’.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared Wednesday, 29 May 2024 as the date for South Africa’s seventh national elections.
The day has also been declared a public holiday in Mzansi.
That date is in exactly 11 weeks – or 77 days – from the date of publishing.
OVERSEAS ELECTIONS 2024 VOTE DATES ALSO CONFIRMED
Meanwhile, as reported by SAPeople website, the dates for those living overseas and eligible to vote have also been confirmed.
According to the official IEC website, a record number over 27.79 million voters are eligible to do so this year.
It’s the highest total since the dawn of democracy in the country.
In 2024, the provincial breakdown of the registered voters indicates that Gauteng remains as the biggest voting block, followed by KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, respectively.
There has been a marked increase in the rate of representation by persons in the age group 18-39 years.
This age band accounts for 42% – or 11.7 million – voters on the voters’ roll.
Interestingly, the trend of there being more females on the voters’ roll continues.
Of the 27.79 million voters, 15 million are females. This represents over 55%.
Ramaphosa determined this year’s voting date “in accordance with section 49(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, read with section 17 of the Electoral act of 1998”, according to a statement released by the Presidency on Tuesday.
He added that he had also consulted with Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and premiers on the date and preparedness.
“The president convened a meeting with all nine provincial premiers and the IEC to discuss the state of readiness for the general elections,” the statement continued.
PLEASE VOTE ON 29 MAY 2024, URGES CYRIL RAMAPHOSA
With the SA national elections date now confirmed, Ramaphosa urged all eligible voters to participate in this “historic milestone of our democratic calendar”.
“Beyond the fulfilment of our constitutional obligation, these upcoming elections are also a celebration of our democratic journey and a determination of the future that we all desire.
“I call on all South Africans to exercise their democratic right to vote and for those who will be campaigning to do so peacefully, within the full observance of the law. We also urge unregistered voters to use the online registration platform to register,” added Ramaphosa.