Polokwane - The Limpopo Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is faced with the challenge of opening voting stations for the voter registration weekend, starting tomorrow, in two flood-ravaged municipalities.
As a result of the damage caused by the recent excessive rains, certain voting stations in Greater Tubatse in Sekhukhune District and Lepelle-Nkumpi municipalities are inaccessible.
Provincial electoral officer, Nkaro Mateta, said:"We have challenges in two of our municipalities due to the weather patterns. In particular, Tubatse ... with two stations, Ga-Komane and Makobote, as well as Mamogolo in Lepelle-Nkumpi."
Mamogolo village is inaccessible because Lepelle River is over-flowing. However, Mateta said they were working on a contingency plan to access the affected areas with their registration equipment.
Voting stations across the country will open on Saturday and Sunday from 8am until 5pm.
In Limpopo, there are 2 785 voting stations. After the delimitation of wards by the Municipal Demarcation Board, there was a 5.5 percent increase in wards from 513 to 543.
During the 2009 elections, there were 2.256 million voters on the provincial voters' roll, but the number of registered voters now stands at 2 241 132.
In the 18 to 19 age group, there are an estimated 150 000 eligible voters yet only 72 659 (or 3.2 percent) are registered to vote.
"If we unpack the figures further, only 52.9 percent of the females (or just above 5 in 10) in this category are registered to vote, while 47.1 percent (or just above 4 in 10) of the males in this group are registered to vote.
"This stands in stark contrast to the approximately 26 percent of people who are in the age group 20-29 years who have registered as voters," she said.
Just like her colleagues in Gauteng and national office, Mateta is urging young people to turn out in large numbers to register so that they can be able to vote in the upcoming municipal elections.
"I call upon all eligible voters who are not yet on the voters' roll to visit their voting stations and register in anticipation of the forthcoming municipal elections, which will be held anytime between 2 March and 30 May 2011.
"The youth of our beloved country are encouraged to turn up in their large numbers to register so that they can vote in the next municipal elections," she said.
The registration weekend is not only an opportunity for first-time voters to register, but also for registered voters to confirm that they are correctly registered.
There are many more voters that have been affected by the demarcation process. In particular, more than 300 voting stations have been affected by the demarcation process. Because these are municipal elections, voters can only vote where they are registered.
There are many more voters that have missed the opportunity and need to visit the registration stations to confirm their status following the demarcation process.
More than 8 300 voter registration officials will be deployed to voting stations this weekend in Limpopo.
For more info on elections, go to http://www.buanews.gov.za/elections_index.html .
