Hundreds of South African citizens living abroad flocked voting stations in their various countries, in preparedness to cast their ballots just less than two weeks ahead of the highly anticipated general elections.
South Africans in Algiers, Amman, Cairo, Kuwait, Jeddah, Ramallah, Riyadh and Tehran already voted yesterday, while citizens in other countries have voted already.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) reports that over 78,000 South Africans applied to vote outside the country, exercising their right to participate in the electoral process from abroad.
Additionally, the Electoral Commission of South Africa has shared the following information about voting abroad:
– South Africans abroad can vote in national elections only
– You can vote abroad if you are a registered voter, are 18 years of age (can register to vote from age 16), and have a valid South African ID
– First-time voters who are not currently on South Africa’s voters’ roll must register online or in-person at their nearest accredited South African mission
– By law, citizens can only vote out-of-country abroad on the date specified in the election timetable, which is typically 10 days before voting day in-country.
On May 29, the nation will head to the ballot boxes in a historic election that is widely regarded as the most pivotal since the country’s transition to democracy in 1994, marking a critical moment in its political journey.
Cities with large South African voting populations include:
London (24, 000)
The Hague (6, 659)
Canberra (3, 674)
Dubai (3, 266)
Dublin (3, 040)
Wellington (2, 292)
Abu Dhabi (1, 825)
Washington DC (1, 799)
Berlin (1, 476)
There are 111 foreign missions around the world, where South Africans can vote.
