The IEC on Monday released the numbers of its first voter registration weekend ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Eyewitness News spoke to South Africans during registration weekend and asked them whether they will be voting in the 2024 elections.
The Electoral Commission said when voting stations closed on Saturday, one million people had successfully registered at over 23,000 voting stations across the country.
The IEC will also give insight on how the different voting stations fared, while some polling venues remained closed throughout the weekend due to protesting.
Stanton Honey from the Northern Cape explains to Eyewitness News why he will be unable to cast his vote in 2024. This as over 23,000 stations were open for voter registration across the country throughout the weekend, ahead of the 2024 general elections.
The commission said when voting stations closed on Saturday, one million people had successfully registered at over 23,000 voting stations across the country.
“What was good was the political atmosphere of the ANC, IFP, and EFF was very conducive. They were singing together and dancing for one song and even when I went to greet the table of the anc people the attitude and spirit was very good," said the IFP leader.
A local ward councillor cited service delivery issues, a council policy on indigent relief, and youth unemployment being among the reasons for some unhappy residents not caring to register for the 2024 polls.
“It was for the first and last time in 1994. It was out of excitement. Unfortunately, we did not understand what the meaning of democracy is. But is only now that we understand that democracy means to be oppressed by those that we have voted for - those we have put into power," said 64-year-old Khekhe Skere.
Speaking to Eyewitness News on Sunday, disgruntled residents at Westonaria's Thusang informal settlement said they had been severely let down by the democratically elected government.
Eyewitness News spoke to pupils at the Elizabeth Conradie School for Disabled Learners in Kimberley on Sunday, about registering to vote and their hopes for the future.
“Before the ANC, only the rich had access to water, but now we all have taps in our homes. There might be challenges here and there, but it's much better than it was before the ANC," Dzuguda Kharidzha, who has lived in Vuwani for decades.
On the second and final day of the IEC’s voter registration weekend, some informal traders in Centurion told Eyewitness News that they were registering to vote in order to make their voices heard, and hopefully protect how they make a living.
The IEC and Political parties have renewed calls for especially first-time and youth voters to register.
In Kimberley's Diamond Park, residents say their decision to vote will most likely be influenced by the completion of an RDP housing project that COGTA started and could not finish owing to the depletion of funds.
"I've decided that I'll vote for the DA next year. I want to give them a chance because the ANC has failed. We're struggling as black people," said Vuwani resident, Ndivhuwo Manenzhe.
Protests in some areas in Gauteng on Saturday resulted in some voters being unable to register to vote for the upcoming general elections.
Preliminary figures indicate that by late Saturday over 60,000 people had engaged with the Electoral Commission in the Western Cape, either at one of its stations or online.
