Political parties in the Eastern Cape have remained optimistic about the upcoming national and provincial elections after the voter registration weekend.
Despite disruptions experienced at some voting stations across the province, voters came out in their numbers at the weekend.
This was the last voter registration weekend before the general elections.
ANC provincial spokesperson Loyiso Magqashela said his party was happy with how the voter registration weekend went.
“We express our gratitude to those who registered and updated their status to vote in the forthcoming 2024 national general elections,” he said.
“You will also recall that this exercise was aimed at strengthening our democracy and supporting the Electoral Commission (IEC) in discharging its constitutional mandate of ensuring free and fair elections.
“Of course, we appreciate the voter registration turnout of our young people and the elderly alike.”
Magqashela dismissed perceptions that young people were not interested in voting.
“There is a myth that young people are not showing interest in registration and that’s not true,” he said.
“In the voting stations, the young people did turn out and are more on online registration compared to elderly people.”
Magqashela acknowledged that some voting stations had been affected by disruptions.
He said concerns raised by communities were attended to and resolved on the spot.
“Some are receiving attention as we speak by our rapid response team,” Magqashela said.
The disruptions were as a result of dissatisfaction by communities on issues that were raised with local leaders, such as roads and connectivity to electricity.
“We dispatched our teams to attend to the matters,” Magqashela said.
He said the party’s election campaign had been in full swing.
“The ANC led, by its NEC and PEC members, interacted with our people over the weekend, while building on the successful 2019 manifesto review engagements.
“We would also like to extend a special tribute to the dedicated volunteers of the ANC who tirelessly canvassed throughout SA, working diligently to defend our hard-fought freedom and advance a better life for all.”
EFF provincial secretary Simthembile Madikizela said they were impressed with the turnout of young voters, particularly those between the ages of 19 and 24.
“Some registered for the first time as voters,” he said.
“By the look of things, the Eastern Cape has registered a huge number of people, which makes the province a point of interest in the upcoming elections.”
Madikizela also applauded the work done by the IEC, saying it had grown from strength to strength.
“The ability to deliver even in the worst voting districts ... the most difficult to access districts.
“Yes, there were incidents of some districts that were closed or did not open in time, and some incidents of landlords with a wrong attitude.
“Other than that, the process seemed to have been smooth, we just need to improve here and there as parties when it comes to campaigns.
“The process is interesting and we are confident that it will yield positive results for the people of the Eastern Cape and people of SA.”
ActionSA provincial leader Athol Trollip said he thought the registration weekend “was very quiet and people didn’t seem motivated to register or check their registration especially as this election is shaping up to be a really important and very tightly contested one”.
Trollip said there was definite voter apathy and distrust of politicians and politics in SA.
“The youth are generally not interested to register because there is nothing that they get from the current government that excites them or motivates them to register,” he said.
“Poor education, unemployment and R350 a month won’t motivate anyone.”
Trollip said he did not experience any disruptions.
“In fact it was peaceful everywhere I went even among parties, which is encouraging,” he said.
“However, the IEC is often perceived to be biased towards the governing party and some IEC officials are openly hostile to opposition parties.
“As long as the IEC continues to appoint Sadtu teachers as IEC officials and presiding officers this problem will remain.
“I had to lodge a formal complaint about a presiding officer in Bathurst and she was suspended.
“The IEC should do more to protect and promote its required by law ‘independence’.”
Both DA provincial leader Andrew Whitfield and his deputy, Chantel King, had not responded to the Dispatch’s questions by the time of publication.
IEC provincial boss Khayakazi Magudumana was expected to release the voter registration weekend statistics on Tuesday.
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