IEC chairperson pushes back on political pressure

Youth voter registration sparks tension.

By Thabiso Gaselebelwe

The North West’s IEC chairperson Dr Tumelontle Thiba not happy about Social Develepment officials’ comments

Pg2 Caption: Minister of Social Development Sisisi Tolashe tells IEC chair that her visit to Naledi seemed like a fruitless expenditure

A visit by Minister of Social Development Sisisi Tolashe and North West MEC Basetsana Dantjie to Naledi Local Municipality took an unexpected turn last Friday when the Chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), Dr Tumoentle Thiba, openly challenged comments on voter registration.

The delegation was at the Vryburg SASSA district office and Vryburg Stadium to showcase social development initiatives, including a new biometric system and self-service desk aimed at reducing long queues.

Tolashe urged communities to form non-profit organisations to partner with the government in tackling social issues such as substance abuse and exploitation of minors.

The confrontation started after Tolashe remarked that it would be a fruitless expenditure for the IEC team to have been at the event since 7 a.m. if they had not registered even a single person, particularly among the youth.

When Dr Thiba responded to the minister, Dantjie immediately interjected and took over the discussion.

Dantjie questioned the IEC’s strategy for increasing youth voter registration. “It was you, the IEC, who raised concerns that most young people are not registering to vote. What is your plan?” she asked.

Dr Thiba pushed back sharply. “We are a Chapter Nine institution. We respond to Parliament and are independent. I am surprised that we are being given instructions by politicians,” she said.

She stressed that the IEC facilitates registration opportunities but does not pursue individuals. “It is not compulsory for everyone to register, but we encourage participation. Our role is to make registration accessible, not to chase people,” she added.

The exchange escalated when Dantjie suggested Thiba had misinterpreted Tolashe’s earlier remarks about potential wasteful expenditure.

Thiba said she had been checking her cellphone during part of the minister’s speech, which caused the misunderstanding. She also voiced frustration at what she saw as political interference in IEC operations.

Despite the tension, both sides clarified the disagreement stemmed from miscommunication.

Dantjie emphasised that the minister had intended only to encourage youth registration, not to criticise the IEC.

Residents said the clash highlighted  the fine line between government guidance and the independence of statutory bodies. The IEC’s insistence on autonomy underscores its role in maintaining impartiality, even amid public scrutiny.

With the next local government elections slated for between November 2026 and January 2027, the spotlight on voter registration efforts has taken on added urgency.

 In this context, the remarks by Dantjie and Tolashe about youth registration were seen as not just procedural, but as striking at the heart of civic mobilisation ahead of a major electoral cycle.

 The visit concluded with  Tolashe stressing community responsibility in addressing social ills, while the IEC maintained its role in ensuring voter registration opportunities were available for the public. The incident was seen by the residents as a delicate interface between government oversight and independent institutional mandates in South Africa. This week IEC said it’s all systems go for the Local Government Elections 2026/7.

Briefing the media in Pretoria this week, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Masego Shiburi, said the Commission was encouraged by the number of South Africans who have acted on the call to register and update their details through various convenient platforms ahead of the upcoming local government general elections in 2026/2027.

Shiburi said despite the registration activity, a lot more citizens must still register and that the Commission encourages all eligible voters to use the convenience of the self-registration platform to register to vote or update their voter details.