South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) plans to close its voter registration list after President Jacob Zuma officially publishes the May 7 general election date in the government’s gazette on Tuesday. “President Jacob Zuma will be proclaiming the election date that means the election date would be published in the government gazette. Our offices will be opened across the country from 8 O’clock until five in the evening,” said Kate Bapela, IEC spokesperson. “At 12 midnight, the voters’ role for the 2014 national and provincial elections closes [and] that means that anyone who registers after midnight today will never be able to participate in the upcoming election,” she said.
The electoral body has been compiling a voters list that would enable prospective South African voters to elect a new National Assembly as well as new provincial legislatures in each province in the May poll.
Bapela says on Wednesday the electoral body will publish an electoral time table guideline as part of its preparations to organize the general election.
Bapela says political parties need to pay attention to the electoral timetable to know when to present nomination papers for their candidates to the IEC in the run up to the elections.
Full Article: South Africa Electoral Body to Begin Preparation for Election.
