Register to vote – there’s still time

South Africans who have not yet registered to vote in this year’s election still have the opportunity to do so.

Those who did not take advantage of the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) November registration drive by registering at voting stations can register at their local municipal electoral office during office hours.

If you choose to register at a municipal electoral office make sure you phone first to arrange a time.

Remember, you can’t register at the IEC’s national or provincial offices, only municipal offices.

The IEC has also announced that there will be a final registration weekend on 8 and 9 February.

To find the correct voting station or municipal electoral office where you can register, call the IEC on 0800 118 000.

You only have to register once as a voter, unless you move or your voting district changes.

To qualify as a voter, you must be a South African citizen, be at least 16 years old and have a green, bar- coded ID book or smart ID card.

You only have to re-register when your home address changes or the IEC informs you that the voting district has changed.

By law, you must apply for registration in person.

The IEC advises that take along your green, bar-coded ID book, smartcard ID, or temporary identity certificate if you don’t have an ID book.

It can take up to seven working days for your registration application to be processed.

To check your registration status, you can:

• Send an SMS with your ID number to 32810.
• Check your voter registration details online.
• Call the IEC call centre on 0800 118 000.
• Check at your local municipal electoral office during office hours