Rustenburg - South Africa's political parties are gearing up for an intensive voter registration drive this weekend.
The Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) urged all South Africa’s eligible voters to visit their voting stations over the weekend as part of a national campaign to update the voters’ roll in preparation for the 2019 elections.
All voting stations around the country would open for the public between 8 am and 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday, to assist new voters to register; allow already registered voters who have moved since they registered to re-register in their correct voting district; and allow registered voters whose address details were not on the voters’ roll to provide this information.
The IEC said 22 000 voting stations would be open across South Africa.
African National Congress (ANC) President, Cyril Ramaphosa will be in Johannesburg on Saturday and Tshwane on Sunday.
He is expected to visit various communities in Johannesburg and Tshwane urging first-time voters - primarily the youth - to register, and for those who are registered, to check and confirm their registration details.
ANC Deputy President, David Mabuza would be in Mpumalanga on Saturday and Gauteng on Sunday, while ANC national chairperson, Gwede Mantashe is expected to be in the Eastern Cape on Saturday and Gauteng on Sunday.
The party's secretary general, Ace Magashule, would be in the Free State on Saturday and the North West on Sunday, while his deputy, Jessie Duarte, is expected to lead the party's campaign in Limpopo on Saturday and Gauteng on Sunday.
Treasurer general, Paul Mashatile would be in Gauteng on Saturday and in the Western Cape on Sunday. Former ANC president, Jacob Zuma would lead the ANC voter registration drive KwaZulu-Natal.
The leader of the official opposition the Democratic Alliance (DA), Mmusi Maimane, would be in Johannesburg and the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro encouraging South Africans to register to vote.
In Gauteng, Maimane would be joined by Johannesburg Mayor, Herman Mashaba and regional chairperson, Heinrich Volmink, and in Nelson Mandela Bay, he would be joined by DA Eastern Cape provincial leader, Nqaba Bhanga and Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor, Athol Trollip.
In North West, DA deputy provincial leader Leon Basson and the provincial chairperson Carin Visser are expected to visit voting stations around the province.
Visser would be in Tswaing on Saturday and Sunday, while Basson would be in Klerksdorp and Potchefstroom on Saturday, before moving to Madibeng.