The Independent Electoral Commission says members of the public will be able to inspect the provisional voters roll for the upcoming elections from Monday.
Chief electoral officer, Sy Mamabolo, was outlining key deadlines for the election process after President Cyril Ramaphosa gazetted 29 May as the date for the general elections.
Mambolo said electronic versions of the roll will also be available at IEC offices across the country for inspection.
"Those who wish to object to the inclusion or exclusion of a voter on the voters’ roll must do so by the 4th March 2024. The objections received on or before 4th March 2024 will be considered, investigated, and determined by the Commission by 11 March 2024," he said.
[NOTICE] PROVISIONAL VOTERS’ ROLL AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. #SAelections24
— IEC South Africa (@IECSouthAfrica) February 26, 2024
From 26 February to 4 March, 2024, inspect the provisional voters' roll for the National and Provincial Elections at the Commission's head office, provincial offices, and local offices, 9AM to 5PM. pic.twitter.com/V0DkMMiruF
Mambolo also told a media briefing that the proclamation of the election date has certain legal consequences for the electoral process.
"The first major implication is that the voters’ roll has now closed. This means no further voter registration may take place, either at a local office or online.
"Voter verifications as well as other validations are currently underway to ensure that there is compliance with the provisions of the law in respect of eligibility to vote," he said.
Mambolo said the second implication enjoins the Commission to publish an election timetable following consultation with the National Political Liaison Committee which was concluded on Friday leading to the publishing of the timetable in the government gazette on Saturday.
"The timetable is the motive force in the intensive preparations for the delivery of the 2024 general elections. The timetable outlines all the key cut-off times and dates for the performance of salient electoral activities.
"The timetable contains crucial performance dates for election contestants as well as the broad voting public. As regards the voting public, the focal point is accessing the voting process through special arrangements including dates for applications for special votes and notifications to vote outside of voting stations of registration."
Mambolo said the election timetable also has implications for contestants, as it contains key dates to be complied with relating to the nomination of candidates and the payment of prescribed deposits.
"This is a landmark election marking 30 years of electoral democracy, but it also introduces novel experiences for the voters such as a third ballot in National and Provincial Elections as well as the participation of independent candidates for the very first time," he said.
The Electoral Commission said those who intend to vote outside of the country and who are registered on a specific country’s segment of the voters’ roll, do not have to give notice to the CEO that they will be voting in that country.
"The law assumes that they will be voting at the diplomatic mission of registration.
Those registered elsewhere including locally registered voters who intend to vote at a particular diplomatic mission outside the country, must give notice to the CEO of their intention to vote in that country," the IEC said.
