Home Affairs Committee Acknowledges Electoral Commission of South Africa's (IEC) Introspection on 2024 National and Provincial Elections
'The areas of improvement identified by the IEC, such as challenges with the IT system, faults with the voter management devices, voting station inefficiencies and the need for improved training of electoral staff assure the committee that the Commission is doing everything to improve the quality of voting experience and efficiency of a voting station,' said Mr Mosa Chabane, the Chairperson of the committee. The committee highlighted that the report also reaffirms the IEC's credibility as a body that delivers quality, verifiable and open elections.
Despite this, the committee emphasised the need for a reassessment of how to address the challenge of voter apathy and declining voter turnout. The committee has emphasised that enhanced civic and democratic education strategies must be urgently implemented to ensure that the number of voters increases, thereby strengthening the country's democracy.
'There must be a reflection, not only from the IEC's perspective but from society in general, that voter turnout is unacceptably low and impacts on the strength of South African democracy, a hard-fought right,' Mr Chabane said. The committee reaffirmed the IEC's integrity and system veracity over time, and acknowledged improvement since its establishment. Additionally, IEC has been recognised as a benchmark for election machinery on the continent.
Meanwhile, the committee reflected on the impact of Section 24 (A) provision in the Electoral Amendment Act. The committee called on the IEC to develop a report on both the positive and negative impacts of this section during the 2024 elections. The committee highlighted its strong view on the need to review this provision, especially in the context of the unintended consequences for voter apathy.
The committee welcomed the assurance from the IEC that it is working on a reimagined voter experience that includes the value proposition that a voter does not spend more than 30 minutes in a voting station. This would require improving the quality of staff employed at voting stations, optimising processes, ironing out problems with technical tools and improving the response rate to challenges arising in voting stations.
Meanwhile, the committee has urged the IEC to highlight any legislative gaps that the committee and Parliament can work on to ensure that elections are seamless.
The committee welcomed the 59% increase in the number of voting districts over the past 25 years, which reduces the average spread of voters per voting station. The committee continued to highlight that voting stations must be as close as possible to the people to ensure ease of access.
Furthermore, the committee has welcomed the processing of the legal matter relating to IEC Commissioner Dr Nomsa Masuku in line with and within the framework of the Constitution. The committee welcomes the fact that the Commissioner has not participated in IEC affairs since her legal challenges.
On the expiry of the term of the IEC Chairperson, Mr Mosotho Moepya, and those of Judge Dhaya Pillay and Dr Masuku the committee thanked them for their service and integrity in advancing the work of the IEC. 'Their dedication and sleepless nights have contributed to strengthening South Africa's democracy,' Mr Chabane said.
The committee has reiterated the need for continued protection of the IEC's credibility, as it plays a crucial role in promoting democratic processes.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
3 hours ago
- Zawya
Public Seminar for Eritreans in Germany and Kuwait
Seminars organized by the Eritrean national committees in Kassel and Munich focusing on enhancing awareness on national issues and consular services were conducted on 13 and 21 July. At the seminars, Mr. Teame Haile, Head of Public and Community Affairs, provided a detailed briefing on the sovereignty and legitimacy of Eritrea. He stated that Eritrea possesses clear and internationally recognized land, air, and sea borders that will never be compromised. He also called on nationals to strengthen their unity and active participation in national affairs. Mr. Kibreab Tekeste, Eritrea's Consul General in Germany, gave an extensive briefing on the objectives and procedures of consular services and called on nationals to fully understand and adhere to the guidelines and regulations. A similar seminar was also conducted for nationals in the city of Wetter in Germany. At the seminar, Mr. Fitsum Sahle, coordinator of the national committee, and Mr. Medhanie Tesf'alem, member of the Promotion and Information Committee, gave briefings on the Afambo Boarding School project as well as on the progress of education in Eritrea. In related news, Mr. Humed Yahya, Chargé d'Affaires at the Eritrean Embassy in Kuwait, conducted a seminar for nationals on the current situation in the homeland, as well as regional and global developments. At the seminar, Mr. Humed provided an extensive briefing on the progress of national development programs and the active participation of nationals both inside the country and abroad. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
Zawya
3 hours ago
- Zawya
South Africa: President Ramaphosa concludes meeting between the National Executive and the Northern Cape Provincial Executive Council
President Cyril Ramaphosa has concluded a meeting between the National executive and the Northern Cape Provincial Executive. The meeting, held under the theme 'Unlocking the Northern Cape potential as a modern, growing and successful province', was the sixth formal engagement that the national executive had with a provincial executive. The meeting was also joined by Executive Mayors. Previous sessions include meetings with the Executive Councils of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and most recently, the Eastern Cape. These sessions have resulted in strengthening cooperative governance, breaking down silos and cooperative project planning that leads to collaborative execution. As President Ramaphosa said during the Budget Debate last week, when the three spheres of government work together, the lives of the people of South Africa are improved. It is envisaged that the National Executive would have met with the leadership of the remaining provinces over the next few months. The President emphasised the importance of structured engagements between the national and provincial executives that assist government coordinate more efficiently, resolve challenges together and to plan smarter. The meetings are also meant to facilitate innovative ideas and proposals to address service delivery and skills challenges. The meeting discussed the ongoing roll out of catalytic economic development projects that require the deepening of cooperation between the national and provincial governments. These include the Boegoebaai Harbor and SEZ development, revitalisation and expansion of Vaalharts, Namakwa SEZ and the development of the infrastructure masterplan. The meeting further affirmed closer cooperation on issues of climate change mitigation considering the province's vulnerability to erratic weather conditions. The national executive pledged to continue working closely with the province in areas of Transport and Logistics, Basic Education, Water and Sanitation infrastructure development, Human Settlements, Tourism and Energy and Electricity. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.
Zawya
6 hours ago
- Zawya
Egypt: Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation Discusses Developments in Joint Economic Relations with Norwegian Minister of International Development and Dutch Deputy Minister of Development
H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, met with H.E. Mr. Åsmund Aukrust, Minister of International Development of the Kingdom of Norway. The two sides reviewed ways to strengthen cooperation opportunities between the two countries and discussed a number of joint issues. This meeting took place during her representation of the Arab Republic of Egypt at the Fourth G20 Development Working Group (DWG) Meeting and the G20 Ministerial Meeting on Development. These meetings are being held under South Africa's G20 presidency from July 20 to 25, 2025, under the theme "Solidarity, Sustainability and Equality" in South Africa. During the meeting, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat lauded the Egyptian-Norwegian relations, and noted that the two countries have strengthened and deepened bilateral ties across various sectors, including renewable energy and regional stability efforts. H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat highlighted that the extended partnership between the governments of Egypt and Norway has been essential in boosting the economy, developing the renewable energy sector, and creating better opportunities for the Egyptian economy. H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat emphasized Egypt's commitment, with its expanding economy and attractive investment climate, to attracting new foreign partnerships and investments that can drive innovation, economic growth, and sustainable development. H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat pointed to the most prominent areas of cooperation with the Norwegian side, which include the oil, energy, gas, maritime transport, shipping, and shipbuilding sectors, in addition to fisheries and aquaculture. She noted that Egypt is keen to expand these areas of cooperation, and highlighted that the Egyptian-Norwegian partnership in promoting investments in the renewable energy sector was a central focus of H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's historic visit to the Kingdom of Norway in December 2024. H.E. Minister Al-Mashat added that the shared goals and mutual respect characterizing the bilateral relations between Egypt and Norway represent a model for international cooperation that will be built upon in the coming years. She further stated that Norway's commitment to sustainability and international cooperation aligns with Egypt's Vision 2030 and green transformation goals. H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat pointed out that the cooperation between the two countries in green hydrogen and renewable energy, which includes several prominent projects. These include a green ammonia production project from green hydrogen, a green methanol production project in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, in addition to a number of funded projects in various fields. These contribute to creating decent job opportunities for youth in cooperation with the International Labour Organization and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and promoting health and combating violence against women in Egypt in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund. H.E. Minister Al-Mashat affirmed Egypt's keenness to involve the private sector, especially in strategic sectors such as renewable energy, green hydrogen, maritime industries, and technology. She noted that the country provides a stable investment climate, competitive incentives, and access to key regional markets, making it an ideal gateway for Norwegian and other international companies seeking to expand into the Middle East and Africa. She also referred to the cooperation between Egypt and Scatec, and mentioned that Egypt and Norway have historically strong economic ties, which have translated into tangible projects benefiting both economies. H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat outlined that the new partnerships with Scatec enhance active cooperation between the public and private sectors and development partners, aiming to promote green transformation. She noted Scatec's contribution to the implementation of the Benban Solar Park, one of the largest solar parks in the world, and the first green hydrogen plant in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, in cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and other partners. H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat also pointed to the efforts of the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation in continuing to support international partnerships and mobilize local and international financing to promote green transformation in Egypt and increase the number of environmentally friendly projects. She pointed out that the cooperation portfolio with Scatec includes a number of projects under the energy sector of the "NWFE" program, including the green hydrogen project in Egypt, the green ammonia production project in Damietta, the 1 GW solar power project with battery energy storage solutions (BESS), and a 1 GW solar power plant for the aluminum complex in Naga Hammadi. Egyptian-Dutch Relations On another note, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat met with H.E. Ms. Pascalle Grotenhuis, Netherlands' Vice Minister for International Development, to discuss strengthening Egyptian-Dutch relations and developments in the partnership between the two countries. During the meeting, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat affirmed that Egypt and the Netherlands have deep-rooted political, cultural, and economic relations spanning several decades. These relations have witnessed significant momentum and growing cooperation at various levels in recent years. H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat noted that the economic cooperation between the two countries has been an important axis in bilateral relations, with the Netherlands providing over 407 million Euros in development financing to Egypt since 1975. This assistance has contributed to supporting many vital sectors, including agriculture and irrigation, health and social affairs, transport, electricity, housing, tourism, education, and local development. She stated that the Netherlands is one of Egypt's main trading partners within the European continent, with bilateral trade amounting to approximately one billion Euros annually. Both sides aim to expand this cooperation and diversify its areas, especially given the available opportunities for economic integration between the two countries. H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat highlighted the "Orange Corners" program, implemented in cooperation with the Dutch side and the private sector, to support entrepreneurs in the Nile Delta and Upper Egypt governorates. After the success of the first three-year phase, the program is now in a new cycle extending from 2024 to 2028, reflecting the shared interest of both countries in achieving inclusive economic growth and providing job opportunities for youth. The two sides also reviewed developments in cooperation in the fields of water and climate following the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Egyptian and Dutch governments in October 2024, to enhance cooperation in coastal resource management and adaptation to climate change. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation - Egypt.
