Voters urged to register before roll closes

On Friday, President Jacob Zuma announced that together with the nine provincial premiers, he would proclaim the 2014 general election today, signalling the official start of the election timetable, which begins with the closing of the voters' roll.

A list of municipal electoral offices is available at www.elections.org.za or eligible voters can call 0800 11 8000.

Anticipating a last minute rush, Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Chief Electoral Officer Mosotho Moepya said the commission will deploy additional staff to its local offices to ensure that all eligible voters, who will still be in queues at 5pm, are given a chance to register.

Eligible voters need to take their IDs with them - either a green barcoded ID book, a new smartcard ID or a temporary ID certificate, which is available from the Department of Home Affairs.

Following proclamation, the IEC will consult with the National Party Liaison Committee on an election timetable.

The timetable will be published in an extraordinary Government Gazette on Wednesday, 26 February.

The election timetable sets the dates for key activities for voters and contestants in the run-up to the elections, including the deadlines for the submission of candidate lists by parties, the application for special votes and notifications to vote outside the country.

People who are registered outside the country need to complete the VEC 10 form online at www.elections.org.za, to indicate where they intend voting. The form will be available from tomorrow until 12 March 2014.

A comprehensive election timetable will also be available at www.elections.org.za.

Voters who need more information on the upcoming elections, such as confirmation of their registration details and voting station locations, should contact the IEC call centre or visit the website.

Voters who want to know whether they are registered and where they should vote can also send an SMS with their ID number to 32810.