Students that missed out on voter’s registration have another chance.
Students that didn’t register to vote in the national elections have until Thursday February, 21, 4pm to do so on Wits Main and Education Campuses as the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has set up stations.
IEC official Karabo Mogonwe told Wits Vuvuzela that the IEC had initially done the voters registration on January 26-27, however the commission decided to have additional dates to allow students that were still settling into the university to register.
“We go around to schools for voter’s education and raise awareness about voter’s rights and responsibilities. The feedback we got from the students demanded that we further open registration, so we decided to do so by bringing it here,” Mogonwe said.
Gauteng Department of Economic Development corporate communications officer Athi Matshoba told Wits Vuvuzela that she has seen a positive response to the IEC opening up registration.
“We’re hopeful, optimistic. [The students] really believe that they will make a difference and change the political trajectory,” Matshoba said.
BA General student Shanees Nkandu told Wits Vuvuzela that registering to vote allowed one to have grounds to complain.
“You can’t complain [about the political climate] if you are not doing anything. You must register to have a say in who governs because you are a citizen in the country,” Nkandu said.
As of this afternoon, the IEC had registered 157 students on Tuesday February, 20, and 130 more on Wednesday.
FEATURED IMAGE: Students wait in line to have to chance to register to vote. Photo: Onke Ngcuka
