NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 312
DATE OF PUBLICATION: Friday, 16 August 2013
INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 23 of 2013
Mr D B Feldman (COPE-Gauteng) to ask the Minister of Home Affairs:
1) Whether her Department has finalised the verification of addresses
for voters (a) who are living in informal settlements where by-
elections are currently taking place and
(b) around the country in time for the 2014 General Elections; if
not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
2) whether her Department is experiencing any difficulties in the
confirmation and verification procedures regarding this matter; if
not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) what
difficulties and (b) what are the further relevant details;
(3) whether preparations for voter registration are being made to avoid
problems that might occur during elections; if not, why not; if so,
what are the relevant details?
CW410E
REPLY:
The question was referred to the Electoral Commission and it advised as
follows:
(1)(a) The Electoral Commission is currently finalising investigations
in respect of ward by-elections which were postponed due to alleged
registration fraud in Ethekweni, Abaqulusi and Jozini. The process
of investigation has taken a while as the procedural requirements of
the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, 2000 (Act No 2 of 2000)
had to be fulfilled in respect of those persons who were suspected
to have fraudulently registered.
(1)(b) The Commission has announced a registration weekend for 09 & 10
November 2013 as part of preparations for the 2014 National and
Provincial Elections. Registration officials who will serve in the
registration stations are now undergoing final training sessions
whose objectives, amongst others, are to ensure that officials are
proficient in the verification of addresses at the point of
registration.
(2) A significant proportion of South Africaâs settlements do not have
formal and conventional addresses. This phenomenon is prevalent in
the rural communities as well as in informal settlements.
Alternatives such as communal addresses are used in the ordinary
course of life in these settlements. Verifying addresses in these
circumstances is an extremely delicate and time consuming process.
3) Please refer to the response provided in (1)(b) above.