IEC will publish list of independent candidates

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) will publish a provisional voters roll and list of individual candidates for the 2024 elections today.

This is according to Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo, who says people with objections have until 4 March to submit to the IEC. He was peaking during a media brief on the state of readiness for the 2024 general elections.

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R2.3 BILLION ALLOCATED TO IEC BY FINANCE MINISTER

Mamabolo said the 2024 general elections were historic because they mark the 30th year of electoral democracy and the date has been set for 29 May.

Last week. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana allocated an additional R2.3 billion to the IEC to ensure the effective discharge of its duties during the elections and its other responsibilities beyond the polls.

The IEC says it plans to undertake extensive civic education and communication campaigns to keep the electorate informed and improve voter turnout.

“We do not wish for any eligible citizen to miss out on this historic democratic process,” said Mamabolo.

2024 VOTER REGISRATION DRIVES

For the five registration drives, the IEC had budgeted R419m for the February 2019 registration drive before the last national and provincial elections, including R32m for more staff members per voting station and R17m for an additional training day on the new voter registration devices.

The commission also needs to maintain the voter roll, introduce technological improvements such as rewriting candidate nomination, ballot generation, and election result systems, and procure a building for its national office.

“The 2024 general elections are historic because they mark the 30th year of electoral democracy. We do not wish for any eligible citizen to miss out on this historic democratic process,” said Electoral Commission Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo.