Parliament, Saturday, 27 April 2024 – The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs on Friday concluded its oversight visit to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and is confident in the processes in place to ensure the 2024 provincial and national elections are free and fair. The visit by the committee was part of its oversight role over the executive.
“The interactions held reaffirmed the confidence that the committee has in the IEC as a prime institution that is capable of delivering on its constitutional mandate. The processes in place, the technological advances and training undertaken already are testament to the credibility of the institution to run these elections,” said Mr Mosa Chabane.
The committee saw demonstrations of the functionality of the voter management devices and the various platforms and is confident that they will enhance the voting process. The committee acknowledged that while these devices present the necessary technological advances that can improve processes, there should be procedures in case of technological glitches that might arise.
The committee stressed the need for continued training and education to ensure a seamless process. This includes voter education to make the general voter aware of the process and providing election officials with the resources, training and support to operate the devices.
With this election a watershed moment as independent candidates are contesting for the first time; the committee has called on all participants to adhere to the electoral code of conduct. The committee also called on people to not vandalise election materials of opponents.
Meanwhile, the committee visited Visa Facilitation Services Global’s offices in Pretoria and has called on the Department of Home Affairs to streamline its adjudication processes to ensure timely visa application decisions. The committee stressed the need to improve processes to ensure that visa applications are expedited. This is important in the context of the Presidential pronouncement that tourism will play an integral role in the Economic Recovery Plan.
The committee also called for more capacity within the department to implement the visa application backlog and ensure that applications are attended to within set timeframes.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HOME AFFAIRS, MR MOSA CHABANE.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the Committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Malatswa Molepo (Mr)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8438
Cell: 081 512 7920
E-mail: mmolepo@parliament.gov.za
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