Pretoria - The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in the Eastern Cape on Sunday thanked some of the province's farmers for ensuring that workers registered for the upcoming Local Government Elections, despite overflowing rivers in some parts.
Provincial Electoral Officer, Reverend Bongani Finca, said overflowing rivers in the farming area of Bavians had led to many people not getting to registration stations on time. At least two of the major stations in that area nearly failed to operate due to flooding, he said.
"We are thankful to the farmers who have shown their patriotism and ensured that something was done to get people to the registration stations," Finca said.
He said while registration in the province had been slow, officials were not surprised with the low turnout, considering that more than 80 percent of the people were already on the voters' roll. All people who had registered for the national and provincial elections held in 2009 do not have to register for the upcoming local elections, unless a person had changed residence.
Voter registration got off to a smooth start in almost all of the 4 562 stations set up across the province.
In the Free State, the IEC said there were 11 stations which did not open, three in the Zastron area, one at Koffiefontein four at Trompsburg and three in the Dewetsdorp area. It was hoped that some of these may open during the course of Sunday. At least three stations were closed in the Western Cape due to flooding.
More than 400 000 people nationally had registered by Sunday morning since the IEC opened voter registration weekend on Saturday.
The electoral body is targeting about 1.5 million new voters this year, with officials vowing to meet the number come closing time on Sunday.
President Jacob Zuma has also urged South Africans, especially youngsters, to register for the elections expected to be held sometime between March and May.
