With over five million young people of voting age still not registered to vote, the official opposition DA launched its first registration campaign poster in the heart of Johannesburg.
The poster is erected at the site of the July methane gas explosion which remains a major scar in the CBD and clear evidence of the collapse of infrastructure maintenance in the city.
The explosion resulted in the closure of a number of streets in the CBD, leading to an increase in traffic congestion and affecting the ease of doing business in the city.
Dozens of street traders lost their daily income while residents in surrounding buildings live in fear as crime has increased because most street lights are not functioning.
The city estimates that it will cost over R178 million to repair the service tunnel under Bree Street.
DA leader John Steenhuisen called on the youth to “register to rescue South Africa”, saying the coming election will be won or lost based on the participation of young people.
“The stakes have never been higher. Your vote is your voice and it matters. Not only to you but to everyone in South Africa and the future longevity of our country. It is our responsibility to future generations to do whatever we can, right now, to register to rescue South Africa,” he said.
Political parties and various NGOs are racing against time to register millions of young people and encourage registered ones to vote in next year’s elections.
South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is scheduled to hold a nationwide voter registration drive on 18 and 19 November.
Mawethu Mosery, the IEC deputy chief electoral officer, has also reminded voters to be in their voting districts on election day or forfeit their right to vote for the provincial legislature and the regional-to-national list.
For these elections, a voter at the correct voting district will receive three ballot papers: the independent candidate’s list, the regional-to-national list and the national-to-national ballot papers.