Cape Town -
Expat voter registration points were a hive of activity at the weekend, with London being one of the busiest.
Hundreds of DA and ANC supporters made their way to register abroad for the first time.
Apart from minor glitches in Egypt and Dubai, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said the registration process went smoothly.
The ANC even provided a free bus service in eight regions in the UK for South Africans wishing to travel to London to register.
The IEC and the Department of International Relations and Co-operation recently announced their collaboration to register South Africans living outside the country who will be voting for the first time.
This followed the signing into law of the Electoral Amendment Act late last year and the publication of amendments to the regulations on the registration of voters.
In terms of the amended regulations, South Africans living outside the country and who wish to vote in the national election are required to register in person either in South Africa or at one of South Africa’s 124 embassies, high commissions or consulates-general located in 108 countries.
“We are happy that there are no reports of the process not working,” said Sy Mamabolo, the IEC deputy chief electoral officer for electoral operations.
Mamabolo said the IEC officials would meet later during the week to tally all the numbers.
Political Bureau