Cape Town – Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber says any potential introduction of electronic voting in South Africa must improve both the voting process and the voter experience.
Schreiber cautioned that digital systems should not be as cumbersome as the current paper-based process, particularly in terms of reducing long queues.
The minister made these comments at a conference hosted by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) in Cape Town, where the feasibility of electronic voting is being discussed.
The three-day conference brings together a broad range of stakeholders, including political leaders, business, and civil society
He stressed the importance of keeping the voters’ needs at the forefront to maintain confidence in the electoral system.
“There is nothing more dangerous, frankly, for our elections and by extension our democracy, than voters who turn away from a voting booth, than voters who lose confidence in the system through which they are supposed to govern the country in which they live, and that is why we must always keep those end users — the people — first, even as we embrace technology,” EWN quoted Schreiber as saying.
Schreiber also highlighted the role of his department’s digitalisation efforts, including the planned introduction of digital identities by 2029, in improving the IEC’s processes and enhancing service delivery.
Speaking at the same event, IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo said that e-voting in South Africa can only succeed if all citizens have access to the internet.
According to SABC News, he highlighted the challenges faced by rural areas, where broadband connectivity remains limited.
Mamabolo emphasised the need to address digital technology access disparities, particularly in rural areas, for successful implementation of e-voting.
“While digitisation is becoming more prominent in our daily lives, we must acknowledge that some portions of our country continue to have unlimited access to broadband connectivity, particularly in rural areas. In our discussion here let us not be oblivious that a significant number of South Africans still have limited access to technology,” he said, as per the report.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
