Hon Chair, Deputy President, the IFP welcomes and supports the Electoral Amendment Bill. [Applause.]
Given the great importance of the upcoming 2014 national elections, the current fluid geopolitical landscape and the entry into the political arena of certain new political parties, it is of the utmost importance that we have the necessary legislation in place to ensure a smooth transit to our fifth political dispensation.
The IFP supports the right of South Africans residing outside the country to vote, given that they are able to produce both an identity document and a valid passport. Registration to vote must, however, be in person, not by proxy, and these voters should only vote nationally as voting on a provincial basis would, at this state, be logistically unfeasible.
We further agree that prisoners serving sentences be taken as registered in whichever areas their remand detention facilities are situated as it would be logistically impossible to attempt to register such prisoners in each of their respective residential areas.
We have also noted other clauses included in these amendments, which seek to effect technical amendments to the Bill.
Ngithanda ukuthi kuyilungelo lawo wonke umuntu ongowokuzalwa eNingizimu Afrika ukuba alisebenzisa ithuba alinikwayo lokuvota ngoba lokho kusho ukuba nezwi kukho konke okwenzekayo eNingizimu Afrika.
Ukuze uhlelo lokhetho luqhubeke kahle kufanele kube khona imthetho ebekwayo ezoqiniseka ukuthi konke kuhamba kahle. Siyakweseka ukuthi laba abazoba nezindlela abazozithatha ngalolu suku bakwazi ukufaka isicelo sokuthi bakwazi ukuvota lapho bebhalise khona ngaphambi kokuthatha uhambo. Lokhu kuzokwenzelwa abakhubazekile, abadala abagulayo, abakhulelwe kanti kuzokwenziwa ngevoti eliyisipesheli elicelwa kwikhomishini.
Okunye, siyakwamukela ukubhekelwa kwalezo zikhungo ezisebenzisa izikole lapho kwenzeka khona ukuthi kusetshenziswe amagumbi okufundela amabili ngenxa yobuningi babavoti esikoleni esisodwa.
Siyakwamukela ukuthi kube khona ama-ejenti amele iqembu [party agents] amabili egumbini lokusebenza ngalinye. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[I would like to say that it is the right of every South African citizen to vote because, to them, that means having a say in the administration and management of the affairs of South Africa.
There must be regulations in place to ensure that elections are conducted properly. We support the provision that all voters who have to take journeys on the day of the vote must be able to cast their votes where they got registered before going on their journeys. A special vote applied for to the commission will be granted to people with disabilities as well as the elderly, the sick and the pregnant.
Furthermore, we support the special arrangements made for voting stations where schools are used and two classrooms in one school have to be used as a result of a high voter turnout.
We support the requirement that two party agents must represent each party in each room used for voting purposes.]
The IFP supports the Bill. Thank you. [Applause.]