The Limpopo Education Department in collaboration with the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and the Department of Home Affairs are dedicated to educating learners about their right to vote and the importance of registering to vote through a voter registration and education drive.
The drive which is targeted at Grade 11 and Grade 12 learners, is aimed at educating them about the history of the country and the importance of exercising their right to register to vote and cast their ballot. This initiative comes after statistics released by the IEC show that many young people have not registered to vote. According to the IEC, only 52% of the youth is registered to vote.
Provincial Education MEC Mavuhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya encouraged learners at Bokamoso High School in Seshego to register and vote for a better future. She reminded them that the school they are enrolled in produced the best performing learner in the province for the matric class of 2023. She added that she is proud of the positive change that learners are willing to bring to their families. Lerule-Ramakhanya says that change should also apply to school work, and urged them to study hard.
“You are born to succeed and only when you need to put in more effort. Nothing comes when you are sleeping or daydreaming and not doing anything. You need to read your books. Each day challenge yourself and study three subjects. It does not matter which grade you are in. You do not have to wait until you are in Grade 11 or 12,” Lerule-Ramakhanya said.
IEC representative, Itani Dombo informed and urged learners who are 16 years and older, to register to vote. The IEC had a registration station at the school, to make it easier for learners who are eligible to register to do so.
“What I want to tell you is that it is very important to register to vote. It is not only about casting a vote. If you are registered to vote, it will assist your family and your community,” Dombo said.
Lerule-Ramakhanya will continue with the drive in ten of the province’s schools to ensure that eligible learners are registered and IEC officials and life orientation teachers will visit more than 200 identified schools.