WE HAVE WON OUR COURT CASE: APPLY FOR A SPECIAL VOTE!

Today, the Constitutional Court ruled ruled in favour of the DA’s court application that South Africans who are living temporarily abroad and who are registered as voters must be allowed to cast their vote in the upcoming elections.

The Constitutional Court also granted a new 15 day period for South Africans abroad to apply for a special vote overseas.

This 15 day period has begun and all South Africans who are registered to vote and who want to apply for a special vote must get their applications submitted to the IEC before 27 March 2009.

The DA encourages every South African who is living abroad and who is registered to vote to apply for a special vote so that you can have your say in the upcoming elections.

The special voting day abroad will take place on 15 April.

Click on read more to find out how to apply for a Special Vote

1) You have to be a registered voter

To apply for a special vote in the upcoming 2009 National and Provincial Elections, you have to be a registered voter.
If you have registered before (either in 1999, 2006 or on the registration weekends in November 2008 or February 2009) you are a registered voter.

2) If you are abroad

You will be able to vote at the South African foreign mission closest to you. You can find out which foreign mission is closest to you by clicking on the link on the homepage of the C2C blog.

Voting at foreign mission will take place on 15 April.

To apply you must:

a) Notify the Chief Electoral Officer of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) that you want to cast a special vote at a foreign mission by completing a VEC10 form which you must send to the IEC by email, post or by fax

Email address:

vec10@elections.org.za

 Postal Address:
P O Box 7943, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa

Fax number
 +27 12 428 5566 or +27 12 428 5279 

This must be done within 15 days before 27 March 2009.

You may not change the place where you indicated you want to vote after these 15 days have expired so make sure your foreign mission is correct.

The Chief Electoral Officer will check whether you are a registered voter and will then inform the foreign mission where you intend to vote that you have successfully applied for a special vote.

If your application is successful you must:

b) On the 15 April you must go to your foreign mission during office hours with you green bar-coded identity document and your passport;
c) At the mission you will fill in a VEC1 form and produce your passport to the voting officer;
d) The voting officer will check that your application to the IEC for a special vote was successful;
e) If the voting officer is happy with your application you must then produce your green bar-coded identity document;
f) You will then be able to cast your vote.

The DA wants you to apply for a Special Vote

This election is the most exciting election yet. The ANC is the weakest it has been since 1994 and the DA is growing stronger each day as a result.

The ANC has split and this a positive development for democracy, because it means that the ANC is no longer guaranteed majorities in every province in South Africa.

The DA believes that this election will be the tipping point in South Africa where the country will be on its way to forming a brand new government that no longer serves an elite few but rather one that serves all the people in an Open, Opportunity, Society for All.
The DA is on track to win the Western Cape in 2009 and there is a good chance that we will form coalition governments in other provinces, too.

And that is just the beginning: the DA will govern in towns and cities across the country after the 2011 local government elections; and we will be part of the national government in 2014.

However, we need you to make our dream for South Africa – our dream of one nation, one future – into a reality.

Only you have the power to make the change that is so vitally needed in this country. The change that will ensure a government is put into power that delivers on its promises.
It is therefore imperative that you apply for a special vote within the 15-day period if you will be out of the country on Election Day.

The DA is committed to building a better future. A future in which every person is free. Where everyone has access to life-changing opportunities. Where growth and prosperity are shared by all. Where every child is protected and safe and where each and every language and culture is respected and protected.
We call on you to commit yourselves to the same future. To apply for a special vote and to vote for the DA on your election day!

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71 Responses

  1. This is great news.
    How will we know whether or not our application for the special vote is successful? Would we have to make the long trip to the foreign mission only to be told the application was not received?? Call me a cynic but I am pretty certain this may ring true…

  2. Hi,

    I’m currently living in London and completed a VEC10 form in late March and submitted it by fax to the IEC. Is there anyway to check whether the submission has been received and accepted thereby enabling me to vote at my local embassy?

    thanks

  3. What if we applied for the Special Vote using the VEC10 form for the earlier March deadline? Do we need to submit the form again, as I have not heard from the IEC whether i can vote in London or not.

  4. So where do I vote, no one can answer that now, I am in the US and don’t have a consulate in my City.

  5. I voted in 1994 but it appears that I will not be able to vote this time because the IEC never kept records during that election. Does that mean that I am not qualified for this special vote either, as I am not on the voters roll??

  6. Thank you for the work done on this and for keeping people posted. If we are ex-pats, but have already sent in the VEC10 form as part of the February 27th deadline, should we submit again? Thanks

  7. Just a heads up, I gave the IEC a ring to check that they’d received my VEC10 form sent on 25 Feb and they had no record of it! So they told me to email it through again to vec10@elections.org.za rather than try to fax it.

  8. This is great.

    Thanks Cat.

    Will load this email address onto the main page of the blog.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  9. quick question – i am a registered voter and want to send my VEC10 form to vote in taiwan – but i dont have my green id book with me – only passport.
    will this be an issue ?
    thanks.

  10. One important point: Will the voting procedure require attendance at a consulate? If so, the tens of thousands of South Africans in Perth, Australia will not be able to travel the 4000 km to Canberra. It is important to clear this up.

  11. Ed

    Please advise – I am a registered voter on a 2-yr employment contract outside the country, but will be back in RSA briefly in early April for two weeks before jetting off again.

    With today’s CC decision, I may either

    1) submit a completed VEC10 before 27 March and cast my Special Vote “at the office of the presiding officer” of my voting district but on 20 April 09 only; OR

    2) submit a completed VEC10 before 27 March specifying the embassy/HC/CG and then cast my Special Vote at the embassy/HC/CG so specified but on 15 April 2009 only;

    is this correct, or am I mistaken? Just need clarity, because I leave RSA on 10 April and so would have to make sure I am near the embassy I shall specify on the VEC10.

    Please ensure that this is well publicised – I know alot of SA citizens in the Carribean who think they can complete a VEC10 and pitch up on 22 April at the embassy they’ve specified. Expats need to know dates and times!

    Thanks

    Adam

  12. Dear Andrew

    Yes that is correct you can either apply to vote in South Africa on 20 April our outside South Africa on 15 April.

    We have sent numerous newsletters around and have advertised all over Facebook the dates and times for voting aborad.

    We would greatly appreciate it you could help spread the word around the Carribean as well.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  13. Dear Peter

    Yes you will have to go vote at the Consulate on 15 April in Canberra.

    The DA has approached the IEC requesting that they open more foreign mission in Australia but they have refused.

    I am sorry I couldn’t give you better news.

    Below is an extract from a press statement we put out today once the ruling was known:

    We will also ensure that when the next Parliament is convened we revisit this issue as a matter of urgency. Although many thousands of South African citizens living abroad are now entitled to vote, many cannot because they may only vote at designated embassies and consulates abroad. This means for example that if a South African is living in New Orleans, that person would have to travel to a major urban centre such as Washington DC or New York in order to exercise his or her right to vote.

    We need to devise a simpler, more user-friendly system to give full effect to the implications of the Constitutional Court’s judgment. In doing this we will propose legislative amendments and may consider returning to court if the situation is not adequately addressed.”

    The DA does not believe that today’s ruling is enough and we will carry on doing everything in our power to make voting more accessible to South Africans living abroad.

    Kind regards

    The Editor

  14. Dear Frank

    Unfortunately you will have to produce both your ID book and passport at the High Commission in Taiwan to be able to vote.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  15. Dear Allan

    You dont have to submit it again but I suggest you email the form to the IEC’s new email address at vec10@elections.org.za just to make sure they received it as obviously emailing it is much more reliable than faxing it.

    Rather be safe than sorry.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  16. Hi James

    Yes, unfortunately you will not be able to apply as the Constitutional court has stipulated that for these elections you have to be on the voters roll to qualify to apply for a special vote.

    Sorry I couldn’t give you better news.

    Kind Regards

    THe Editor

  17. Dear Alex

    There are four SA foreign missions opening in the following cities in America on 15 April:
    1) New York
    2) Washington
    3) Los Angeles
    4) Chicago

    Kind regards

    The Editor

  18. You dont have to submit it again but I suggest you email the form to the IEC’s new email address at vec10@elections.org.za just to make sure they received it as obviously emailing it is much more reliable than faxing it.

    Rather be safe than sorry.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

    Dear Allan

    You don’t have to submit it again but I suggest you email the form to the IEC’s new email address at vec10@elections.org.za just to make sure they received it as obviously emailing it is much more reliable than faxing it.

    Rather be safe than sorry.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  19. Dear Matt

    You can phone the IEC at +27 (012) 428 5700 and ask for the special votes section. They should be able to tell you if they received your form.

    When it comes to whether your application was successful I suggest you phone the foreign mission you intend voting at a week or two before the 15 April and ask them if your application was successful as the IEC has to inform the mission that you qualify to vote there.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  20. Dear Warren

    I suggest you phone the foreign mission you intend voting at a week or two before the 15 April and ask them if your application was successful as the IEC has to inform the mission that you qualify to vote there.

    The DA will look at whether we can provide this service for South Africans after 27 March however, this will obviously mean that the IEC would have to agree to this and must prepared to provide us with the relevant information.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  21. Hi Andrew

    My cousin is also in the Caribbean and knows of about 30 South Africans wanting to vote, but not able to as it’s too far too travel!

  22. Dear Editor

    I went from zero to a high degree of hapiness when I received the news that SA’s abroad can vote…I immediately checked whether I was still registered and was totally stoked…that was, until I read your reply to Peter with regards to Canberra being the only voting station in Australia. I was half way through preparing a How-to-vote-in-3-steps email for all my friends in Perth, when I realised the Canberra implication.

    That is so disgustingly ridiculous!!! Surely the consulate can be temporarily organised for one day to assist with Perth residents? Please can you let us know the moment the DA has made any progress on this matter.

    Thanks anyways for the great effort that the DA has invested in this process. I really thought that voting overseas will make a huge difference – but clearly it wont if the IEC and the current regime is going out of their way to make it difficult for us to vote.

    Regards
    Lisl

  23. I presently am in the UK. I voted in the 1994 election and also have a green barcoded ID book – yet I do not appear to be registered to vote….how come my name has slipped off the list thus making me illegible to vote. What am I missing?

  24. Dear DA & Editor
    Many thanks for all your help.
    We really need to chance this country one sided politics?

    The problem with this special vote is
    1) I’m not on the voters roll despite voting in 1994? No way of getting on! Great condition to have in place (On purpose of cause)
    OR is there?
    2) All Embassies should have stations to vote? Eg not everyone can fly all over the place at once Eg 1000′s in Perth going to Canberra
    (On purpose of cause)
    3) What transparency is there? Who do we now our votes are not going to be changed in ANC votes instead etc..
    4) The admin at the IEC’s is going to be slow & inefficient (On purpose of cause)
    5) I’ve been waiting for my new ID Book for months (On purpose of cause)

    I’m afraid we already have a form of vote rigging & a dictator in RSA!
    Please anyone that is able to vote, get out there and make a difference please!

    I love this country & so do we all!
    Let’s fight to keep it in balance!
    Bruce

  25. Dear Bruce

    We did approach them to request that they open up more foreign missions overseas but they have refused up to now.

    Below is an extract from a press statement we put out today once the ruling was known:

    “We will also ensure that when the next Parliament is convened we revisit this issue as a matter of urgency. Although many thousands of South African citizens living abroad are now entitled to vote, many cannot because they may only vote at designated embassies and consulates abroad. This means for example that if a South African is living in New Orleans, that person would have to travel to a major urban centre such as Washington DC or New York in order to exercise his or her right to vote.
    We need to devise a simpler, more user-friendly system to give full effect to the implications of the Constitutional Court’s judgment. In doing this we will propose legislative amendments and may consider returning to court if the situation is not adequately addressed.”

    Furthermore the DA The DA will be pursuing the registration issue in the near future to ensure that South Africans who are in this position will be able to register and will be able to vote in the next elections.

    I am sorry I couldn’t have given you better news regarding the ruling.

    However, the DA does see today’s victory as only the first step in winning back the right of every South African abroad to be able to vote in the future.

    We will definitely keep you posted on this issue!

    The Editor

    The DA does not believe that today’s ruling is enough and we will carry on doing everything in our power to make voting more accessible to South Africans living abroad.

  26. Dear Jimmy

    The reason why you are not registered is because the IEC failed to keep a voters roll during the 1994 elections, only the elections after that.

    I am sorry I can’t provide you with better news, there are many South Africans in the same position as yours.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  27. Dear Julie

    Yesterday’s court ruling means that the following South Africans now qualify to apply for a special vote:

    1) South Africans who are registered to vote
    2) South Africans who have a valid South African passport and ID book.

    If you comply with both these factors then you can apply for a special vote irrespective if you are living and working temporarily abroad – this is what yesterday’s ruling has put into effect
    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  28. Dear Ed,

    I have the same issue as Frank in that I am a registered voter but am currently in the USA without my ID book. What is even more frustrating is that I do qualify for a special vote and I am able to get to Los Angeles to vote even though it is a bit of a drive. Is there any way to get an ID book to the USA? I’m fairly sure you’re not allowed to courier it. I would really appreciate any assistance or suggestions you may have.

  29. Hi this is great news, untill I checked the missions for voting in Australia – only one, in Canberra!! You must be joking!!

    That’s no good…. There’s probably a 150,000 Saffas living in Perth where I am.

    What’s the odds of getting all the embassies in Australia to acting as voting stations? I can’t see why this can be so difficuilt….

    Your court case success will be largely nullified if you can’t give access to the masses.

    Are you pushing to the IEC or Constitutional court to have the lection date postponed to get the missions set up properly.

    Surely it is a strong case. You can’t ex[ect to organize a vote on a global scale in a month?

  30. Hi

    The court result is great, but the VC-10 form clearly asks for information from people who know when they will be back in SA. Also, it states that it is only meant for people traveling abroad, on study leave, etc, but no mention of people living and working abroad.

    Do we still qualify? I’m currently in Dubai and thought I plan to return it won;t be until later in the year.

    thanks,
    James

  31. Dear James

    While the form is meant for South Africans just going on hioliday you do qualify to vote now after the court ruling.

    The IEC just ahsn’t changed the forms for you living abroad.

    Please read the post “Tips on how to fill out the VEC10 form” to see what you should fill in.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  32. Dear Gert
    Dear Gert

    We did approach the IEC to request that they open up more foreign missions in Australia but they have refused up to now.

    I am sorry I couldn’t give you better news.

    Below is an extract from a press statement we put out today once the ruling was known:

    We will also ensure that when the next Parliament is convened we revisit this issue as a matter of urgency. Although many thousands of South African citizens living abroad are now entitled to vote, many cannot because they may only vote at designated embassies and consulates abroad. This means for example that if a South African is living in New Orleans, that person would have to travel to a major urban centre such as Washington DC or New York in order to exercise his or her right to vote.

    We need to devise a simpler, more user-friendly system to give full effect to the implications of the Constitutional Court’s judgment. In doing this we will propose legislative amendments and may consider returning to court if the situation is not adequately addressed.”

    The DA does not believe that today’s ruling is enough and we will carry on doing everything in our power to make voting more accessible to South Africans living abroad.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  33. Dear Kate

    If you cannot have your ID couriered to you from South Africa you can go to the High Commission in Los Angeles and you can apply for a temporary ID. This should be issued on the spot and you are allowed to vote with a temporary ID.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  34. So if do we need both the ID and passport??

    Can one possibly get an authorized temporary ID from the consulate?? Or is there any route that one can take to vote if they have left their ID book back in SA??

  35. Hi there

    Can anyone answer where we vote living in London as the SA embassy here is adamant that they are not dealing with it, even though the IEC website states that is where we cast our special vote?

  36. Dear Ed,

    Thanks very much for your advice. I have one other question though – should I go and get a temporary ID before 15 April? Or do you think it will be ok to apply for one on the day?

    Thanks for your help!
    ~Kate

  37. Perhaps someday soon we will be able to vote online. South Africa can do another first! – After all if you can bank on line you can vote/referendum online.

  38. Hello, how has “temporarily” been defined in terms of SA folks being “temporarily abroad”? I’ve been out of SA for about 9 years now so I doubt I could vote in the 2009 elections despite voting in 1994, right? Thanks.

  39. Hi,

    Just another South African living in Aus that wants to vote and will not be able to make it to Canberra on April 15…
    I live in Melbourne and have many SA friends in both Melbourne and Sydney that I know want to vote and will not be able to get to Canberra…

    Any chance of the embassies in each major city opening its doors to let us vote?

    Many Thanks,
    Tarryn

  40. This is awesome news! Despite the problems that is mentioned, I believe this is a very positive day for all South Africans! I think we all want to see a difference in our beautiful counrty. Pease, if you can, get out there, vote, and make a difference!!

  41. Thank you for fighting for our right to vote.
    I sent my VEC10 form to the IEC on the 13-03-09.
    This morning 16-03-09 I tried several times to phone the IEC on the Tel. no you 0027 12 4285700 to find out whether they had received my e-mail but there was no answer.
    Is this telephone still working?

  42. Thanks for all the work behind the scenes in this important change of events!
    I am based in Rome, where the SA Embassy is. The SA Consulate General is in Milan. Can I vote at the Embassy or must I travel to Milan?
    Fortunately, I’ve got all the other ducks in a row (previous voter registration, ID book with me and so on)
    Thanks
    Estelle

  43. Will I still be able to vote if I do not have my ID book? I have my birth cert and passport, but my ID is in SA and I’m in the UK…

  44. Unfortunately you have to have both your ID book and passport to be able to vote on 15 April.

    You can apply for a temporary ID from Home Affairs at the London High Commission if you dont want to courier your ID book from South Africa. They give this to you straight away and you are allowed to vote with a temporary ID.

    Kind regards

    The Editor

  45. Dear Estelle

    The Embassy in Rome will also be opening on 15 April so you will be able to vote there.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  46. Dear Janice

    Yes, unfortunately, you have to get to one of the foreign mission that the IEC has decided to open on 15 April to be able to vote. The link to the list of foreign missions is on the homepage of this blog – top right hand corner where it states click here for a list of contact details of SA Embassies ( the first link).

    There will not be any postal voting during these elections.

    Kind regards

    The Editor

  47. Dear Sharon

    There is a good chance the IEC is not answering due to the high number of phone calls they are receiving. Their fax machines stopped working two days before the last special votes deadline as well.

    This is still definitely the telephone number of the IEC head quarters in Joburg and therefore the best number to phone to speak to the special votes section.

    I amosrry you couldn’t get through to them today.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  48. Dear Tarryn

    Unfortunately at the current moment the IEC will only be opening the High Commission in Canberra on 15 April.

    We did approach them to request that they open up more foreign missions in Australia but they have refused up to now.

    I am sorry I couldn’t give you better news.

    Below is an extract from a press statement we put out last week once the ruling was known:

    We will also ensure that when the next Parliament is convened we revisit this issue as a matter of urgency. Although many thousands of South African citizens living abroad are now entitled to vote, many cannot because they may only vote at designated embassies and consulates abroad. This means for example that if a South African is living in New Orleans, that person would have to travel to a major urban centre such as Washington DC or New York in order to exercise his or her right to vote.

    We need to devise a simpler, more user-friendly system to give full effect to the implications of the Constitutional Court’s judgment. In doing this we will propose legislative amendments and may consider returning to court if the situation is not adequately addressed.”

    The DA does not believe that lat week’s ruling is enough and we will carry on doing everything in our power to make voting more accessible to South Africans living abroad.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  49. Dear Andrew

    You have to be registered to vote and have a valid SA ID book and passport to be able to vote.

    Unfortunately in your case the IEC failed to keep a voters roll during the 1994 elections so you are therefore not registered to vote.

    We will be pursuing this on the future to fight for South Africans who are not registered to vote to be able to do so for the next elections.

    Kind Regards

    The editor

  50. Dear Kate

    You should definitely go and apply for one before the special voting day just to make sure you get one. I am pretty sure it is going to be crazy at your foreign mission on 15 April and there is a good chance you might not get one.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  51. Dear Cheryl

    The SA High Commission in London, Trafalgar Square is definitely the voting station that will be opening in the UK on 15 April for special voting.

    I will phone this commission tomorrow to see why they are telling you that they will not be opening for voting.

    Will post the outcome of this conversation on this site.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  52. Dear Edward

    Yes you can apply for a temporary ID from Home Affairs at your foreign mission. They give this to you straight away and you are allowed to vote with a temporary ID

    Kind regards

    The Editor

  53. Clearly, it is TOTALLY against the spirit of the constitution AND the concourt decision confirming the right of overseas South Africans that , for example, South Africans living in Australia were denied the right to register, unlike South Africans living in SA, and that further they are effectively prohibited from voting by insisting that they go and vote in Canberra. For the right to mean anything, South Africans must be given the same opportunities to register, and voting stations should be a reasonable distance away from place of residence.
    Consider
    - distance from Sydney to Canberra 288 kms
    - distance from Melbourne to Canberra 650 kms
    - distance from Brisbane to Canberra 1300 kms
    - distance from Perth to Canberra 3900 kms (Can anyone in the concourt or the IEC conceive JUST how far 3900 kms is? Looking at the SA map and basing this on Joburg to CT distance of 1400 kms, there are NO two points in SA that are 3900 kms apart. Cape Town to BeitBridge is 1900 kms so if a Capetonian had to fly/drive 3900 kms to vote he/she would probably reach Zambia or Tanzania at about 3900 kms. Perleaaase!)
    Furthermore there are not enough available planes in Australia to transport even half of the South Africans in Australia to Canberra, even if they started a week before.
    Even furthermore, there are not enough hotelrooms in Canberra to accomodate the half of the South Africans in Australia who I indicated could not get to Canberra because of insufficient planes.

    You (the editor) say that the DA will try to get legislative amendments AFTER this election to ensure that more foreign missions are opened in countries such as Australia. Forget any attempts to get legislative amendments; no matter that they are fair and reasonable and right, they will be squashed. Go straight to court, and have further cases to ensure
    – a registration prodecures are extended to actually mean something
    – that some reasonable limit is placed on the maximum distance between major centres where South Africans reside and their voting stations.
    Alternatively, in THIS day and age, bring in electronic voting. The Americans use this system for their overseas citizens

  54. Re my previous comments. I am NOT a South African living/working in Australia and wishing to vote. I have used Australia to show up how pathetic, inadequate, undemocratic and unconstitutional the IEC’s voting arrangements are for overseas South Africans as I have travelled to Australia on business and so am familiar with the geography.

  55. I agree totally with the comments left by Alan Watkins.
    None of us in Australia can afford the time or the cost of travelling hundreds of Kilometers to Canberra. So the court win by the gentleman in the UK is a mere “technical win” for most of us and the ruling powers are aware of this.
    The DA should organise postal votes for us to send to Canberra at the very least.

  56. Dear Lindie

    Unfortunately the Constitutional Court ruled that South Africans who are not currently on the voters roll will not be able to vote in these elections.

    The DA will be pursuing this in the near future to ensure that South Africans who are in this position will be able to register and will be able to vote in the next elections.

    I am sorry I couldn’t have given you better news regarding the ruling.

    However, the DA does see today’s victory as only the first step in winning back the right of every South African abroad to be able to vote in the future.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  57. Dear Joan

    THe DA agrees with you and Ian that this is a very big problem. We have received hundreds of emails from South Africans in Australia who say they aren’t voting because they can’t travel this great distance.

    We have put out press statements and have been fighting with the IEC over this issue relentlessly over the last few weeks but they won’t budge.

    You will see that are looking at going to court on this issue, however, it is now less than a month to go to your voting day and a court case would definitely not reach a conclusion by then.

    Sorry we cant provide you with better news at this stage. We will carry on pursuing this issue and hopefully our court victory is the first step to ensuring that all of you are able to vote where you live overseas in the next elections.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  58. Just a comment that the list of Foreign Missions at the Dept of Foreign Affairs website is incomplete / not exhaustive. I looked there for any missions in China (on behalf of some friends) and it doesn’t appear under C or P for Peoples Republic of C. Or anywhere else on that list. Tonight I noticed the other link on this website, to the Mission list at elections.org, and found that there are actually two missions in China (in Beijing and Shanghai.) At a glance I can see more descrepancies too. Perhaps you should stop recommending the DHA link since it gives a false impression.

  59. Hi Gabi

    Thanks for this. Will look at removing this link form our site.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  60. My daughter,who is registered,lives in Perpignan in South France. I cannot find out from the IEC if the SA consulates that are listed on government websites are opened for voters. She cannot go to Paris just to cast her vote. Barcelona in Spain is very close to where she stays, but I am unable to ascertain if they will be opened.

  61. We have dual nationality so therefore have current SA passports and we still have our green ID documents. We are living temporarily abroad but don’t know the date we will go back to SA, can we still apply for a special vote?
    On the VEC10 form it asks for an address in SA and a temporary address here also the date we are returning to SA, how do we get round this?
    please reply asap so we can still get our forms in before the closing date.

  62. Dear Dawn

    please download the new VEC10 form off our website – look at the post new VEC10 form. THe new form does not require and address or a return date.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  63. Dear Ms Raymer

    I have emailed you the list of foreign mission that will be opneing on 15 April. There eon’t be one opening in Barcelona though.

    Kind Regards

    The editor

  64. HI there

    I am a registered South African voter currently residing in Alberta, Canada. Where in Canada will I be able to cast my vote? I’ll be willing to travel to Edmonton 250km away from us or Saskatoon 340km away, but Ottowa or Toronto will not be a possiblity for me.

    Can you perhaps let me know where I can vote?

    Regards
    Bianca

  65. Dear Bianca

    Unfortunately, the IEC has refused to open any other voting stations in Canada – only the ones in Ottawa and Toronto. So you are going to have to travel there to vote.

    Sorry I couldn’t give you better news.

    Kind Regards

    THe Editor

  66. Dear Editor,
    I’ve followed the correct steps (checked that I’m a registered voter and sent the V10 form through to the IEC). Now, do I need confirmation from the IEC that they have granted me the special permission to vote abroad? I just called the SA Embassy in Rome and Mohapi, who answered the phone told me this. It doesn’t seem likely that the IEC will reply to the thousands of requests. If they can register us, that would be nice, but must I get a confirmation thereof?
    She also told me that I can come with my ID OR valid passport. (But didn’t say ‘both’ or ‘and’). Rather misleading info from the SA Embassy in Rome??!!!
    Any ideas on the matter of confirmation from the IEC? If so, whom to contact to secure it?
    Thanks ever so much again
    Estelle

  67. Dear Estelle

    You can phone the IEC head office at Tel : (012) 428 5700 and ask for the special votes section. They should be able to let you know if your application was successful or not. They take a while to answer o let it ring for at least a minute.

    Kind Regards

    THe Editor

  68. Hello!

    I’m living in the UK but miles away from London. Is there a voting centre in the South West of England or is the only place to vote in London?

    It doesn’t really help our cause if London is the only place!!

    Thank You.

  69. Dear Nikki

    Unfortunately, the IEC will only be opening up the foreign mission in Trafalgar Square on 15 April.

    We did try to get them to open more voting stations but they have refused.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

  70. Dear Ed

    hope my email finds you well

    I have noticed that you have mailed another South African saying that we can apply for a Temporary ID at the South African Cosulate in London and they would be able to give this to us on the same day. I have since went onto their website and it says that if we apply for it now, it would not be ready in time for the elections. So your statement is invalid. please correct me if I am wrong! is there any other way to get a temporary ID book in time for the elections please?

    thanks for you help and time

    Carl

  71. Hi Carl

    The Home Affairs department did let us know that they would accept applications up to 8 April (today) as this would allow enough time to process the application before 15 April.

    This is also stated on the IEC website at http://www.elections.org.za. I therefore suggest if you can to apply today still as your application could still be processed in time.

    Kind Regards

    The Editor

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