The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) reiterated on Tuesday that it has not taken a decision on the implementation of electronic voting, other than merely developing a document for a national conversation.
Electoral officer Sy Mamabolo said they were taking measures to ensure excellence and robust systems in electoral administration.
“Within that broad package of measures we are taking, one of the considerations is the possible introduction of electoral voting. We don’t see this as an isolated measure but as package of interventions, utilising technology to make electoral administration better,” Mamabolo said.
“There is no decision to implement electronic voting precisely because that decision, we consider it a national policy matter, which is within the purview of Parliament as a policy making institution of the country.
“We have not taken that decision neither are we empowered to make the decision,” he added.
Mamabolo stated that it did not mean a national conversation should not be held.
“We need to have a conversation to hear what the general populace says so that we can empower Parliament at an appropriate moment and take a decision on an informed basis.”
The IEC recently held a conference on electronic voting in Cape Town, where a discussion document was presented after the Human Sciences Research Council was tasked to do research on considerations necessary for implementing e-voting.
The discussion document was aligned to its strategy to use technology to solve electoral problems as mandated by the Electoral Commission Act.
The commission had commissioned a similar study in 2013, which Mamabolo described as a move to ensure the matter was always within their purview.
In a presentation, the IEC took the MPs through the objectives of e-voting, benefits, matters to be considered and countries where it is practised and was stopped.
Mamabolo said a detailed financial modeling will be required should South Africa opt for electronic voting system in comparison to the current model of voting.
He also said there would be a need for a solid legal foundation to define and support e-voting to ensure whatever legal framework decision to support e-voting reality has constitutional plans.
MK Party MP Zwelakhe Mthethwa noted that the IEC was preparing for e-voting when there were glitches in the 2024 elections.
“The IEC has not taken us into confidence to what had happened,” said Mthethwa.
He said voters were uninterested in reforms, and raised concerns about the Home Affairs Department’s plan to allow naturalised citizens to obtain smart IDs.
EFF MP Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi emphasised the need for consultation voting and questioned why the IEC was exploring something that failed in some countries.
“What do you hope to achieve differently?” Mkhaliphi asked before noting problems that were experienced during the previous elections.
IFP MP Zuzifa Buthelezi said the time for e-voting has not come in South Africa and pointed to electoral challenges and technology issues.
His sentiments were echoed by EFF MP Nombiselo Sompa-Masiu, who said the country was not ready for e-voting.
“The IEC is supposed to start to resolve the challenges we have,” Sompa-Masiu said.
In response, IEC commissioner Mosotho Moepya emphasised that they were not proposing anything nor have they decided on anything.
“We are raising our observations in a non-partisan manner. We say ‘this is what exists, this system can do, and these are the challenges and benefits’. We are inviting inputs. There is no decision on the table,” Moepya said.
Mamabolo stated that South African elections meet the international standards of being free and fair.
“That does not mean South African elections are free of challenges. Every election will be beset by some level of challenges.”
Committee chairperson Zweli Mkhize said there would be a lot of electronic voting in South Africa in the near future.
“Between now and that time there is lot of gaps that need to be addressed. It is correct that the IEC should look ahead and explore all these ideas. There can’t be a shift in policy unless informed by a decision taking into account the available current technology challenges we face and also various issue that are associated with it,” Mkhize said.
