Pretoria – The Independent Electoral Commission says South Africans living abroad are not able to register for the 2014 elections until the legislation governing out of country registration and voting has been approved.
“Only once the Electoral Amendment Bill 2013 is approved by Parliament and signed into law by the President can arrangements for registering South Africans abroad be finalised,” said the IEC in a statement on Thursday.
The Bill has been approved by the National Council of Provinces and is currently before the National Assembly.
“It is hoped the Bill will be approved and enacted before the end of November. In the meantime, advance planning for the process is proceeding in conjunction with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO),” said the commission.
In terms of the draft legislation South Africans will have to register in person at one of South African’s 124 high commissions, embassies or consulates located in 108 countries. They will need to be in possession of a valid South African ID document (either a green bar-coded South African ID book, a new smart ID card or a valid Temporary Identity Certificate) as well as a valid South African passport in order to be registered.
According to the IEC, the Bill does not require South African citizens living abroad and who are already registered as voters in South Africa to register again and they will, as previously, be able to cast a special vote in the 2014 national election.
It does, however, for the first time provide for persons who are not yet registered as voters to be able to do so and have their particulars added to the national common voters roll.
The IEC said it will announce further details of the registration process for South Africans abroad on its website and via the media once the legislation has been enacted. – SAnews.gov.za
