The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announced that members of the public, who are eligible to vote, can register and update their information at stations throughout the country this weekend.

This comes after the Constitutional Court ruled that the IEC needed to update the addresses of everyone on the national voters’ roll by June 2018. 

This is ahead of the national elections in 2019. 

The commission reported that registrations proceeded well despite a few disruptions in parts of North West, Northern Cape and the Free State. 

The Northern Cape IEC’s Bonolo Modise says that stations will be open after the cut-off time of five o'clock today, if necessary.

“Experience has taught us that as South Africans we tend to wait until the last day before we head a cause that has been made for a particular thing,” explained Modise. 

Meanwhile, all but one voting station out of over 1 500 will not be open to the public in the Free State today due to community protest actions. 

The station in Mohlahla, Thaba Nchu, will not be open as residents have barricaded roads. 

According to the Free State IEC’s Itumeleng Liba, protests began after Mangaung Municipality moved illegal dwellers in the area.

“We were told that the moving happened yesterday and this morning the residents are barricading the road and as a result we are unable to do our work,” explained Liba. 

"Police are monitoring the area and will inform IEC workers should the situation change," he said. 

“If the registration is completely disrupted we will have to make plans even after today to ensure that the affected people are somehow accommodated,” Liba continued.

South Africans are urged to use this opportunity. 

“It does not take long. It is about five minutes at the most that they would spend at our stations before they are assisted,” he said. 

As many people as possible are encouraged to register.

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