Off the wire
• West African citizens still need no visa on arrival in Ghana: FM  • IFC to help Cambodia's stock market regulator strengthen governance, regulation  • New land route boosts China-Kazakhstan tourism  • Urgent: Pakistan envoy says peace process with India remains suspended  • U.S. stocks open lower following release of Fed minutes  • Kerry says anti-terror campaign critical mission for U.S., Bahrain  • Africa Economy: Zimbabwe banks hit by new round of cash shortage  • China's "Youth Plus" Young Artists Promotion Project opens in Singapore  • Spain's industrial production increases by 5.9 pct in February  • Ghana rises to 38th position on FIFA world ranking  
You are here: 　 Home

S. African voters urged to register for local elections

Xinhua, April 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

The South African government on Thursday called on eligible voters to register for the upcoming local elections.

"Government reminds all South Africans to go out in their numbers and register to vote during the final Local Government Elections voter registration this weekend," acting cabinet spokesperson Phumla Williams said.

The final registration weekend takes place from April 9 to April 10. The date for the elections is set on August 3 this year.

South Africans are encouraged to be active participants in this democracy by exercising their democratic right to vote, said Williams.

"It is in our interest as government to see every South African who is eligible to vote registered,"said Williams.

The right to vote is a fundamental right enshrined in Constitution and this right was fought for and countless people sacrificed and paid the ultimate prize for all South Africans to realise this freedom, she said.

"Citizens of this country have the right to elect representatives of their choice and have a say in how the country is governed.

"All eligible voters are urged to take advantage of this clarion call to go out this weekend to register to vote for local government elections," Williams said.

The local government elections will see political parties fighting for control of the country's metropolitans. Opposition political parties, particularly the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), have vowed to take over Johannesburg, Pretoria and Nelson Mandela Bay municipality from the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

Both the ANC and DA have launched campaigns to urge voters to vote. Both parties said their leaders would be conducting door-to-door visits to seek support.

Municipal elections are held every five years. Voters will elect the members of the district, metropolitan and local municipal councils, who, in turn, will elect the mayors of the municipalities to office.

The ANC is facing the most fierce competition from the opposition parties since the end of apartheid in 1994. Endit