News of last week's Constitutional Court ruling, that South Africans living abroad be granted the right to vote, has set a cat amongst the Trafalgar Square pigeons cooing outside South Africa House in London.
“The news seems to have hit home,” says Frances Paddick, production editor of the weekly newspaper. “We've had a stream of e-mails and phone calls from people wanting to know where, when and how. There seems to be genuine excitement around now being allowed to vote.”
The ruling has kicked up a number of logistical considerations; chief among them is the issue of being registered on the voter's roll and the procedure for applying for a special vote.
“We published a “how to vote” special feature in this week's edition, so hopefully that will clear up some of the confusion, and we'll keep election news top of the news agenda now that we have a say in what's happening at home,” says Paddick.
South Africans living abroad must be registered voters, meaning their names need to appear already on the voter's roll. They then need to apply for a special vote. Voting will take place on 15 April 2009 at South African embassies around the world.
London-based voters will cast their ballots in a box outside South Africa House (The South African High Commission) in Trafalgar Square.
“There's a huge amount of talent out there. Granting the vote to foreign-based South Africans is a big step towards encouraging them to come home,” says Greg Eden, group publisher at Blue Sky Publications. “It's an acknowledgement that communities are now global and that nationality isn't something that is lost or stripped from you when you choose to explore new opportunities outside the borders of the country.”
“There's a perception here at home that South Africans living abroad have jumped ship and have lost faith in their country, and this so-called brain drain has often been seen as a major negative for the country. But in most cases, certainly with our market in London, professional South Africans aren't planning to stay away. They're over there earning pounds and gaining valuable international experience, and most plan to bring that home one day.”
The South African in London will be covering events leading up to the elections and will be encouraging as many South Africans abroad to vote on 15 April.
