22 Apr 2019

The Independent Electoral Commission is pinning its hope on the ongoing and last supplementary registration from April 15 to 28, says principal elections officer for Kanye region, Ms Ndiwo Gaopotlake.

Ms Gaopotlake said although the response has been low across the three constituencies of Kanye North, Kanye South and Moshupa/Manyana, they were optimistic that people would take advantage of the holidays to register.

She said 1 037, 833 and 585 people registered in Kanye South, Moshupa/Manyana and Kanye North respectively during the registration that took place between December 17, 2018 and March 31, 2019.

She said they were hopeful that since the current registration was polling station-based, eligible voters would utilise the holiday period to register.

“Our general observation is that people are reluctant to vote, hence we are still far from our national target. The response has been low since we started, and most polling stations from the 134 in our region have not registered anybody,” she said.

However, Ms Gaopotlake noted that the IEC continued to sensitise people through various publicity platforms such as media adverts, meetings and conducting voter education in schools so that pupils could convey the message to their family members.

She urged all those who were eligible to register so that they could exercise their constitutional right during the general elections.

Random interviews conducted around Kanye suggested that some people did not know the importance of registering and voting. One resident, Mr Kabelo Akambakamba said he did not find the need to register because political leaders did not stand for the interests of electorates but their own interests.

He decried lack of developments in the village, saying there was no hope for change hence he avoided standing in long queues to vote.

However, the 36-year-old self-employed could not rule out the possibility of registering in the ongoing registration. ENDS