Home Affairs Minister Siyabonga Cwele says his department is ready to assist those who will require identity documentation to help them register for the upcoming elections.
This weekend is the last voter registration drive for this year’s national and provincial elections.
Cwele has been visiting Home Affairs offices to check on their readiness to assist people with their identity documentation. On Thursday, he paid a visit to the GaRankuwa Home Affairs offices in Tshwane.
The Minister has been urging South Africans to collect their IDs from Home Affairs offices.
“We are happy that people are collecting their IDs and this will enable them to go and register or to verify their details this weekend,” the Minister said.
Despite challenges, Cwele assured that his department will do everything possible to assist those who go to their offices throughout the country.
“We do experience challenges with the network but that is a challenge we are busy addressing.”
During his visit to GaRankuwa, Cwele gave two elderly citizens their smart card IDs.
“This will enable me to vote in the upcoming elections,” said 95-year-old Masemola Matsebe Johannes.
Home Affairs offices will open on Saturday and Sunday from 08h00 to 17h00.
This, according to the Department of Home Affairs, will afford eligible voters an opportunity to apply for their IDs to go and register.
There are nearly 300 000 uncollected IDs nationally. In Gauteng, there are 55 000 uncollected IDs at Home Affairs offices.
The department has urged citizens who have applied to visit Home Affairs offices to collect their IDs.
