Why Your Vote Is Important

 

By Fred Felton | Oct. 27, 2021

The South African municipal elections will be held on 1 November 2021. This is to elect councils for all districts, metropolitan and local municipalities in each of the country’s nine provinces.

Malusi Msomi, IEC Outreach and Communications: eThekwini Metro giving some key insights into the upcoming election. | Photo: Fred Felton 

Malusi Msomi, Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Outreach and Communications: eThekwini Metro gives some key insights into how the election will work and some interesting facts about the voters.

The voters roll is available to the public for objections.

There are also some key dates to take note of. The 30 and 31 October is set aside for Special Votes. This is for voters that cannot travel to a voting station where they are registered because of physically infirmity, disability or pregnancy. For these people a home visit will be done to enable them to vote at home.

For those that cannot vote on voting day they will be able to go on the Special Voting Days to the Voting Station to cast their vote.

The 1 November 2021 is the main Election Day and by law the results have to be declared in 7 days from then.

‘’You might be surprised that some new registrations are people over 65,’’ said Malusi Msomi, IEC Outreach and Communications: eThekwini Metro.

Many of the new registrations are in the age group 18 to 19 years old. The most new registrations are in the age group of 20 to 29 years old.

It is also pleasing to see that many registrations are female especially in KwaZulu-Natal.

In the eThekwini Municipality region there will be 50 political parties contending in the elections.

There will be 111 ward councillors in the eThekwini Municipality region.

‘’EThekwini holds the bulk of the voting stations,’’ noted Malusi Msomi, IEC Outreach and Communications: eThekwini Metro.

Umhlanga Life did a snap survey around Durban and it seems that most people are eager and keen to make their vote on the Election Day.

‘’I always do vote and I care about my Country. So I will go forward for all the people who live in South Africa,’’ said Addington Beach resident Cindy Polydorou.

Another person who will be voting in the election is Umbilo resident Carol de Wet. ‘’I feel one has no right to complain if you don’t try change the status quo,’’ noted Carol de Wet.

The eThekwini Municipality Mayor, Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda encourages the people of eThekwini to come out in their numbers to cast their vote on 1 November to ensure that the municipality continues to deliver quality service.

‘’Over the past five years, the City has made great strides in delivering over 20 000 housing opportunities. Over 1 million households have access to refuse removal services. Over 1.1 million households receive clean water and 720 households have access to electricity. These services are also provided to our 582 informal settlements and over 370 000 rural households. We have committed ourselves to do even better on service delivery,’’ noted eThekwini Municipality Mayor, Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda.

Dates for your Diary:

30 and 31 October 2021 – Special Votes for the Election

1 November 2021 – Election Day

Please take your ID with on the day to the nearest Voting Station in your area where you are registered to vote and remember that all Covid-19 regulations will be in place so please wear your face mask and take along a sanitizer.

For any queries and to check if you are registered to vote call the IEC toll-free number on 0800 11 8000 from a landline.

To check if you are registered to vote you can also SMS your ID number to 32810 (SMS charged at R1 per SMS).