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South Africans living abroad have cast their votes in the 2024 General Elections on the second day of a three-day exercise.

Over 76,000 voters across 111 missions worldwide are exercising their right to vote in this year’s elections, which are expected to conclude on May 29th in South Africa.

On Friday it was a turn of those who are in the Middle East and on Saturday it was Asia, Europe, North and South America, and countries on the African continent.

There was an intermittent flow of South Africans at a polling station in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

At an estimated 200 nationals, the number of South Africans living in Dar es Salaam is relatively small compared to other parts of the world.

Officials say some of them travelled hundreds of kilometers to vote in the commercial capital Dar es salaam – a demonstration of high voter enthusiasm in the diaspora.

Elections 2024 | SA expats vote – Isaac Lukando updates from Tanzania:

South Africans living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)  also used their opportunity to cast their ballots, as polls opened for the diaspora in the central African country. More than 4,000 South Africans have been registered to vote.

The vast majority of them are soldiers engaged in peacekeeping.

The South African ambassador to the DRC, Abel Mxolisi Shilubane described the exercise as peaceful.

Elections 2024 | South Africans in DRC cast their ballots: Chris Ocamringa reports:

About 240 South Africans are eligible to vote in Maseru in Lesotho. On Saturday, the voting station opened on time and without much hassles.

By 11am, at least 20 people had already cast their vote.

2024 Elections | South Africans in Lesotho cast their votes:

In Zimbabwe close to 200 voters were expected to show up at the South African mission in Harare.

Elections 2024 | SA Embassy in Zimbabwe ready to assist South African voters: Desiree Moodley

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says voters at 102 missions with a Monday to Friday work week were given one day to vote.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom, with over 24,000 registered voters, has been allocated two days to vote.

Votes cast abroad will be transported back to South Africa to be counted after the May 29th vote.

South Africans abroad hope that, despite being thousands of miles from home, their voices will also be heard.

2024 Elections | South Africans abroad come out in their numbers to vote: Sophie Mokoena:

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The Forum 4 Service Delivery (F4SD) says it wants to increase its presence in the country and have seats in the provincial legislatures so that it can ultimately lead communities and provide services. The party took its election campaign to Botshabelo in the Free State to garner votes.

Formed in 2015 to tackle issues such as water and sanitation, housing and education, the F4SD says it wants to extend its footprint to all corners of the country, to bring real change and better service delivery to the people.

The party also wants to see the merger of the office of the Auditor-General and that of the Public Protector.

“We are anti-corruption that is why we are saying people who commit corruption they must be arrested. People who don’t care about service delivery they must be arrested. One of our manifesto is that we want to criminalise lack of service delivery because people are dying due to lack of water. People are dying because of potholes our government doesn’t care. We want to see the office AG and the office of Public Protector being one office. So that the issue of wasteful expenditure, fruitless expenditure people held accountable,” says Dr Mbahare Kekana, the president of F4SD.

Some of the party supporters say they want a better life after the 29th of May general elections.

“I’m from the ECD since being in the ECD I’ve never heard a political party speaking on behalf of ECD. This is the first party I heard doing that. So I see it as important for people to vote especially youth for the their future3.”

“This forum deals with 80% service delivery and 20% politics so the importance of voting for F4SD is that services will delivered to the people.”

The party has promised real change and accountability should it be voted into power.

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The African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa has commended South Africans who voted in different South African missions around the world. Citizens living abroad have been casting their ballots in the 2024 elections.

The elections in South Africa take place on the 29th of this month, with special votes occurring in the two days before the national elections. The ANC president who was campaigning in KwaZulu-Natal says this is a clear demonstration that South Africans have heeded the call to exercise their right to vote.

“It’s really uplifting for our democracy that people are coming out in their thousands all over the world to go and vote in various places. And their vote is a support for our democracy,” says Ramaphosa.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it is happy to see many South Africans participating in democratic processes even though they are not in the country. DA abroad chairperson, Ludre Stevens says he’s thrilled to see democracy unfolding.

“More than 24 000 South Africans registered in London alone. Everyone is realizing that the elections are crucial.”

Video: 2024 Elections – South Africans abroad come out in their numbers to vote: Sophie Mokoena

The leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema says the youth came out in numbers to cast their ballots in different missions around the world. Malema says it is important that young people are participating in democratic processes.

“We are very happy that they have come out in their numbers and got to vote, and we hope they will do the right thing and vote for change. So we are happy and that tells you what’s going to happen on the 29th of May.”

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has also weighed in on the voting abroad.

Commending the voters, party President, Velenkosini Hlabisa says: “I know many of people of South Africa who are living abroad most of them is because of some unhappiness. But it does not help to complain and don’t take an action. Let us all stand up and take action to fix our country.”

A significant turnout was reported in London, which has the largest number of eligible voters, exceeding 24 000.

Voting will continue in London on Sunday.

2024 Elections | Ex-pats voting abroad described as being true patriots:

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The election manifesto launch of the African Independent Congress (AIC) in Germiston, Johannesburg, was marred by controversy after a group of supporters disrupted the speech of party president Mandla Galo. When Galo continued, he told those in attendance that his party will have solutions to fight crime and create job opportunities, amongst other things.

“The AIC will expand the safety net programmes such as the social grants and unemployment benefits to provide a basic level of income security to vulnerable populations. These programmes can help alleviate poverty and reduce inequality by ensuring that all citizens have access to essential services.”

He also said corrupt politicians and government officials will be prosecuted without fear or favour.

“The AIC will depolticise and strengthen the independence and effectiveness of the National Prosecuting Authority and other state anti corruption agencies to speedily and properly investigate and prosecute state officials and politicians involved in corruption and maladministration without fear, favour and prejudice.”

The party further says it will re-introduce the specialised unit of the NPA, the Scorpions that was disbanded in 2009.

Elections 2024 | AIC unveils its manifesto for May polls:

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The leader of the African Congress for Transformation (ACT), Ace Magashule has rubbished reports that his party will not be contesting in the May National and Provincial polls.

ACT was amongst three political parties that took the IEC to the Constitutional Court over the Commission’s online candidate nomination system, which they claim, malfunctioned when they had to submit details of their candidates.

The party says it will be contesting in a number of provinces including the Free State which they say, they are confident of winning. Magashule delivered his Manifesto to party supporters in Sebokeng, in the South of Gauteng.

Scores of ACT supporters gathered at the Living Waters Ministries for the Manifesto launch. The party leader, focused on five priority areas namely, education, the economy, land, a better life and the dignity of the African Child.

Magashule poured cold water on claims that they were disqualified from contesting the elections following last week’s ConCourt ruling. Instead, the party will only be able to contest in provinces where it submitted the candidates’ names on time.

Some of those provinces include the Free State, Gauteng, North West, the Northern Cape and the Eastern Cape.

“People are trying to de-campaigning ACT by saying they won’t be participating in the elections. ACT is on the national ballot. We’re on the Free State provincial ballot and we are taking it,” says Magashule.

He further said they would be willing to work with various like-minded parties post the elections.

“That’s why we are going to work and if PAC can get seats we will work with PAC, if AZAPO can get seats we’ll work with AZAPO, if UDM can get seats we’ll work with them. Because during apartheid they supplied us with weapons. I’m one of the people who got weapons from them and Hani. So, these are political parties we are going to work with,” Magashule adds.

In his review of the 30 years of democracy, the man who used to be the Secretary-General of the African National Congress (ANC), says the goal to achieve an inclusive South Africa remains a dream.

Video: Elections 2024 – ACT launches its manifesto: Natasha Phiri

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Struggle stalwart and Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) veteran, Kwedi Mkalipi, has been laid to rest in Cape Town. He died more than a week ago, following a long illness.

Mkalipi is one of the co-founders of the PAC, along with its leader, Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe in 1959. He was arrested in 1965 and sentenced to 20 years on Robben Island.

Mkalipi was honoured with the Order of Albert Luthuli in Silver by former President, Thabo Mbeki. He has been awarded a Provincial Official Funeral by the government of the Western Cape.

“I regarded him as my political uncle, he was a younger brother to my father. The struggles they fought did not define them as either PAC or the ANC. They fought for all of us to be free and together they had a very good relationship on the island and and we as the families of all those people at the island we have a very special relationship,” says family friend, Lindiwe Sisulu.

The family of the struggle icon has described him as a person — who had love for his people.

“It just means how big my father’s heart was and it also means how big my father truly was as a person. Because the turnout was more than I expected. It was very emotional and the service was very well done,” says Bongiwe Mkhaliphi, his youngest daughter.

PAC President, Mzwanele Nyhontso, has called on members of his party to honour him by going to the polls and vote in numbers. Mkalipi’s death comes at the back of another loss of political giant, former PAC President, Motsoko Pheko.

“Of course it’s sad to lose such icons both of them. We have paid tribute to ntate Pheko and we are paying tribute to Mkalipi. Now I said they are all going to join a council of PAC leaders in heaven to guide us and give us strength as we campaign for this August party of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe and I can assure you this time we are going to surprise many,” says Nyhontso.

Nyhontso also took a swipe at the provincial government after the Premier failed to attend and deliver the eulogy. Representatives from the provincial government were however, present, and declined to comment. Former leaders of trade unions associated with the PAC were in attendance. They included the former general-secretary of Nactu, Cunningham Ngcukana, and Sithembele Khala, former general secretary of Mwasa .

Mkalipi has been laid to rest at the Eester River Cemetery.

Reporting by Lerato Dlalisa

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The Umkhonto Wesizwe party is expected to launch its election manifesto under the title “People’s Mandate” at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Saturday.

The party has made inroads in provinces like KwaZulu-Natal since its formation last year. However, it has not had the same effect in other parts of the country.

In the recent by-elections in Limpopo and the North West, the party was only able to garner one percent of the vote in both provinces.

The party’s leadership has also defended the decision to launch the manifesto in Johannesburg, adding that the city is in disarray.

Head of Elections Muzi Ntshingila laments the decay in the city. “The environment and the infrastructure have extremely deteriorated. The level of joblessness and the level of crime are brazenly visible for everyone to see. So Umkhonto Wesizwe is here to say we care. We will respond based on the circumstances and demands and Umkhonto Wesizwe is your home. That is why we are coming to Soweto, particularly, Orlando West. It (area) has a serious history with Umkhonto Wesizwe leading up to Orlando East and, of course, Dube. But Orlando East is Umkhonto’s home,” Ntshingila says.

Ntshingila futher adds that the MK Party is the solution to the socio-economic woes facing South Africa and alleges that the ruling party has failed to transform the country.

Probed on former President, Jacob Zuma’s dual membership for the both the ANC and MK Party, Ntshingila hasten to say: “President Zuma has been very articulate as to why he remains a member of the ANC because there’s still belief that the ANC is not doin what its supposed to do. But of course, the MK remains the solution.”

Zuma last year publicly announced his endorsement of the MK party while emphasising that he remains a member of the governing party.

The former ANC leader remains suspended from the party with a pending disciplinary hearing expected to be held after the May 29 polls.

Meanwhile, the MK Party lists several pillars as part of its manifesto.

The first pillar calls on society to “reclaim our dignity” and adds that under the MK Party all indigenous languages will be implemented at schools and will be used in legal proceedings and at all government institutions. It also states that African history will be implemented as a school subject and that all freedom fighters will be repatriated and buried in their homelands.

Motorists have also be advised to use alternative routes when heading past Orlando Stadium as traffic around the venue is building up.

Elections 2024 | MK party ready for manifesto launch: Musa Mkhize