07 Mar 2017

Coordinator of the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), Mr Gabriel Seeletso has assured residents of Takatokwane that the machine, which will be used for the first time in the history of the country in the next general elections will be user friendly.
Speaking during a kgotla meeting at the village on March 6, meant to appraise the electorate on new changes on the Electoral Act, Mr Seeletso allayed their fears, saying the machine is user-friendly to people across all ages.
“The machine is even easier than the sedi-lame phone, and since nowadays people use more complicated phones we are confident that they will find it even easier,” he emphasised.
Mr Seeletso informed the residents that the machines were still being procured and are expected to be available around October when physical demonstrations will start.
He however said that before the machines arrive, Independent Electoral Commission officers around the country are expected to go ward-to-ward demonstrating the machine to the electorate.
Mr Seeletso also emphasised that it is vital to share with the electorate any changes in the Electoral Act well ahead of the 2019 general elections so that the electorate would be well informed when the elections come.
He also informed them that according to the law, people who are eligible to register as voters are those 18 years and above, and that there is nothing that can be done about those who turn 18 after the closing of registration.
Mr Seeletso was responding after some residents disclosed some discomfort on the use of the machine, wondering whether it would not be too complicated for the ordinary voters.
One resident, Mr Titus Matthys also had some reservations on the scraping of supplementary registration, saying it would disadvantage youth who turn 18 years between the closing of registration and the general elections.
For his part, the area MP, Mr Ngaka Ngaka also assured the gathering of the user-friendliness of the machine, saying that government had sent a delegation on two bench-marking trips to Namibia and India to observe how the machine works.
“Last year a delegation, which comprised among others of political party representatives was sent to observe the Namibian general elections, where the machine was being used.
In 2010 a delegation was also sent to India, where the machine originates and on both occasion the delegation was impressed with its effectiveness, especially the time it takes for results to come out after closing of polls,” he said.
He said that the world keeps on changing and that the use of the EVM was a way of keeping up with the times.
In his welcome remarks, Kgosi Makgabana Tsiane of Takatokwane advised that elections should always be taken seriously as they have the potential to destabilise the country if not handled properly.
He said that election regulations should be given the respect they deserve, hence the decision by the IEC to go around the country to update the electorate on the new regulations ahead of the next elections should be hailed.
Mr Seeletso also updated the villagers of some reforms on the Electoral Act such as the scrapping of supplementary registration, the use of the EVM as well as increment of registration fees for citizens who want to stand for council and parliamentary seats. ENDS