Gloria Motsoere24 February 2024 | 6:45

Voter registration for 2024 general elections officially closed

Over 27 million people have registered to cast their vote on 29 May as the country celebrates 30 years of democracy.

Voter registration for 2024 general elections officially closed

Picture: Eyewitness News

JOHANNESBURG - The registration period for the upcoming elections has officially closed, as the date for the polls has been gazetted.

The date was gazetted on Friday following consultations between President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).

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Two national registration weekends and an online application portal brought the voters roll to 27.6 million.

The IEC said this was the first time since the dawn of democracy that the country has seen such a high number of people registering to vote.

Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern CapeĀ recorded the highest number of registrations to date, with people under the age of 29 being the biggest number of first-time voters.

This includes inmates, who also had a registration drive at the different correctional facilities in the country.

The IEC said residents would only be allowed to vote where they live, with an exception being made for those who request in writing to vote outside their district.