Zuma not a factor in voter registration, says ANC

Calls for President Jacob Zuma to resign had not been a factor during voter registration. Picture: Simphiwe Mbokazi/Independent Media

Calls for President Jacob Zuma to resign had not been a factor during voter registration. Picture: Simphiwe Mbokazi/Independent Media

Published Apr 11, 2016

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Durban - As KwaZulu-Natal was aiming to reach the six million mark on the voters’ roll, parties heaped praises on the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) for managing the weekend voter registration successfully.

Judging by the reduction in complaints, it was quite a shift from the finger-pointing directed at the electoral body in the past.

This happened as the ANC claimed that the calls for the resignation of President Jacob Zuma had not been a factor during the registration weekend, despite opposition parties claiming it discouraged eligible voters from registering or checking and updating their details.

DA provincial leader, Zwakele Mncwango, said the voter registration weekend was better than February, but it had not reached a point to be appealing, especially to young people.

“In a way people lost hope, and when we explain the importance of registering and voting, they complain they are jobless,” he said.

“As political parties we need to do more to educate people. The IEC has got to go all out to educate the voters,” Mncwango said.

He said while they were encouraged by the level of tolerance across the province, he said his party would take issue with reports of people being transported from the Eastern Cape to Port Shepstone.

“At the moment I don’t have proof,” he said.

Mncwango said they were also following up on reports of the use of a single proof of address to register many people.

ANC provincial secretary, Super Zuma, said his party was impressed by how organised the registration weekend was.

“The response to the long queues was quicker than the last one. Overall they were better organised,” Zuma said.

He said the turnout was promising in light of voter mobilisation in past weeks.

Zuma also said the issues raised by voters during their door-to-door campaign were not so much about Zuma.

“They are concerned about real issues that relate to service delivery. They talk about water, electricity and housing,” he said. “These are real issues that come from our people on the ground,” he said.

IFP national chairman, Blessed Gwala, said the voter registration was well publicised, a move that prompted every citizen to register and check their details.

NFP chairman, Maliyakhe Shelembe, said the registration had highlighted the need to involve people in the demarcation of wards as some went to voting stations that they ought not to go to.

Provincial electoral officer, Mawethu Mosery, said those who could not register at the weekend still would have an opportunity to do so at municipal offices until the election date was promulgated.

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