Zuma was welcomed by supporters when he arrived at a registration centre in Nkandla, in the KwaZulu-Natal province. The visit formed part of a broader campaign to encourage voter participation during the national registration weekend.
Zuma visited Ntolwane Primary School, where he verified his registration details on the voters’ roll. He is registered in Ward 14, which has more than 4 000 registered voters.
The appearance signals ongoing mobilisation by political parties as the country prepares for the upcoming municipal elections.
Meanwhile, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) reported a strong response on the first day of registration. The commission’s online portal recorded over 30 000 transactions within just three hours of opening.
IEC Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Masego Sheburi said the early figures reflect steady engagement from voters across the country. Sheburi also addressed operational challenges, noting that a small number of voting stations experienced disruptions. “Only 16 out of 23 706 voting stations experienced challenges,” Sheburi said.
Sheburi clarified that the issues were not related to the commission’s operations, but rather to external factors. “The issues are unrelated to elections. They are either localised disputes, service delivery concerns or dissatisfaction with demarcation decisions,” Sheburi said.
Sheburi urged communities to ensure that protests do not disrupt the electoral process or prevent others from exercising their democratic rights. “We call on those protesting to do so without affecting the right of other people who are minded to participate,” Sheburi said.
Despite isolated disruptions, the IEC said the registration process is proceeding smoothly overall, with most voting stations operating as planned.
–SABC/ChannelAfrica–
