The idea of electronic voting (e-voting) has long been on the table.
Now, the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) Chief Electoral Officer, Sy Mamabolo, has shed light on the possible future of the country’s voting system.
This comes after an e-voting conference was held to explore ways of making voting more accessible and efficient earlier this year.
FUTURE OF E-VOTING
In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Mamabolo confirmed that electronic voting will be introduced in the future. However, it will not be ready in time for the 2026 Local Government Elections.
He said South Africa currently does not have the necessary policy or legislation to support e-voting. Mamabolo stressed the need to build a framework that guarantees public trust and credibility.
“I don’t think there’s doubt that at some future point electronic voting will be implemented, but we need to arrive at that point together as a nation,” he said.
Mamabolo suggested that a hybrid system could be the most practical option for South Africa. Under this model, most citizens would still cast their ballots at voting stations, with paper backups and voter audit trails used to ensure accuracy and transparency.
THE COST FACTOR
The financial implications of e-voting remain unclear. Mamabolo noted that the IEC has not yet determined figures, as costs vary depending on the type of devices selected. A costing exercise will be conducted. Thereafter, the National Treasury will be tasked with securing funding.
Mamabolo said e-voting has to be introduced to make the system more transparent and increase the overall integrity of the voting process.
DO YOU THINK E-VOTING IS A GOOD IDEA?
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