Johannesburg - Women made up the largest number during voter registration weekend, the Independent Electoral Commission said on Tuesday.
“In line with population trends, women comprised 51.50 percent of new registrations and men 48.50 percent,” chairwoman Pansy Tlakula said.
“I am also proud to say that... young women of our country have led the way and upstaged their male counterparts...”
Just over 1.2 million people registered for the first time over the weekend, taking the number to well over 25 million voters.
Tlakula said the number was 80.5 percent of the eligible voting population.
A total of 1.1 million people registered for the first time during the first registration weekend in November. With the 1.2m who registered this weekend a total of 2.3m voters would be added to the roll.
Almost three million people visited 22 263 voting stations over the weekend.
“That is 16 percent higher than the 2.5 million who visited voting stations in November,” said Tlakula.
Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of new registrations with the Northern Cape having the lowest turnout.
Gauteng had 339 728 (26.97 percent) with KwaZulu-Natal recording 298 652, (23.71 percent), Western Cape 136 659 (10.85 percent), Eastern Cape 130 072 (10.33 percent), Mpumalanga 97 732 (7.76 percent), Limpopo 86 835 (6.89 percent), North West 74 389 (5.9 percent), Free State 70 161 (5.57 percent), and Northern Cape 25 332 (2.01 percent).
Among the new registered voters, over a million were under the age of 30. At least 691 002 voters were aged between 20-29, 255 398 aged 18 and 19, and 59 860 aged 16 and 17, who are registered voters but not on the voters roll.
In October, before the registration drives, she said the targeted campaign to encourage young people to register was at 167 535 registered voters aged 18 and 19.
“Today that number has soared to 683 201, an increase of over 300 percent.”
Registration would continue until the date for the election was proclaimed by President Jacob Zuma, she said.
Zuma has set May 7 as the day for the firth general election.
“Registration will continue at the IEC offices in municipalities until the date for the elections is proclaimed to which the voters roll will then close,” said Tlakula.
Sapa