Having a free and fair election is one of the cornerstones of democracy.
This goes together with other important democratic principles such as the right to vote, to choose which party you want to belong to and to accept the results of an election.
There are different ways to elect representatives into government, including the system of proportional representation and the constituency-based system. In terms of the South African Constitution elections must be based on the system of proportional representation.
This is what you need to do and not do during elections.
Dos:
• Vote in the voting district where you registered. You should be registered in the voting district where you live.
• You must be 18 years old, registered to vote or have a proof of registration and be a legal South African citizen with a green bar-coded ID, a valid Temporary Identity Certificate (TIC) or smart ID card.
• Keep your voting choice private.
• Condemn political violence.
• Support the right of all parties to campaign freely.
• Inform the relevant authorities of all planned marches and rallies
Don’ts:
• Do not interrupt the work of voting station staff.
• Do not bring any weapons to the voting station.
• Do not use any kind of violence or threats against anyone who supports another party.
• Do not campaign for your political party or candidates within the boundaries of the voting station.
• Do not take photographic images of marked ballot papers.
