The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on Tuesday expressed its disapproval with any attempts to transition South Africa to electronic elections, calling on the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to rather implement automatic voter registration for all citizens once they turn 18.

This, the party said can be achieved by integrating IEC systems with the Department of Home Affairs database, eliminating the “tedious and unnecessary” registration process, which it believes discourages voter turnout.

The IEC is undertaking public dialogue on electronic voting with a three-day conference, this week, in which IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo called on the commission to investigate new approaches to improve the electoral process, voter experience, accessibility and enable cost savings.

As part of its dialogue around electronic voting, the IEC has launched an Electronic Voting Policy Discussion Document, which explores the possibilities, challenges, and implications of implementing e-voting in South Africa.

It is urging citizens to read through the research contained in the document and to share any concerns or suggestions.

The document can be found here for download.

Meanwhile, the EFF had dismissed repeated attempts to digitise the voting process, calling it premature, with the argument that it will compromise the integrity, accessibility and reliability of South Africa’s electoral system.

The EFF said electronic voting in South Africa will only deepen “inequality and disenfranchise millions of voters, particularly the poor and working class owing to the country’s deep digital divide.”

The EFF averred that South Africa did not have the necessary infrastructure to support a transition to electronic voting.

“…millions of citizens, especially in rural areas do not have access to digital devices such as smartphones, laptops or reliable Internet services. Less than 75% of the population has access to Internet services, with far less than that having access to the Internet from their homes, and South Africa having some of the highest mobile data costs in the world,” it said.

The party highlighted that the failure of government to provide universal access to digital infrastructure meant that electronic voting would inevitably exclude the most vulnerable in society.

The EFF pointed to the IEC’s technological failures, noting the 2024 elections which saw malfunctions of the Voter Management Devices (VMDs), which were intended to verify voter registration at polling stations.

“…these failures led to delays and undermined public confidence in the electoral process, while the website itself was unreliable and was often down when the whole country was relying on it for up-to-date results. If the IEC cannot guarantee the reliability of these basic verification systems and a website, there is no reason to trust them with a complete overhaul to an electronic voting system,” the EFF stated.

The party also pointed to South Africa’s electricity challenges, which it said posed a serious threat to the viability of electronic voting.

“With rolling blackouts and an unreliable power grid, it is simply reckless to consider an electoral system that is entirely dependent on electricity and digital connectivity. Without a stable and guaranteed power supply, electronic voting will open the door to massive voter suppression,” it highlighted.

The EFF said instead of the IEC’s “ill-conceived move,” the IEC must focus on real and practical reforms that enhance electoral participation.

The party pointed out that voters must be allowed to vote anywhere in the country without requiring pre-approval.

It noted that the “failure” of the 2024 election system, which forced voters to apply in advance if they wished to vote outside their registered province, led to the disenfranchisement of thousands.

“The IEC must remove these barriers instead of introducing further complications through electronic voting,” the EFF argued.