On 14 March 2018, the Department of International Relations & Co-operation (DIRCO) issued instructions on behalf of the IEC, that South African missions abroad must allow South Africans living overseas to register to vote for the upcoming National Elections.
Nevertheless, long after this date, the DA Abroad France Committee continued to receive several complaints from South Africans in France who were not able register to vote at the South African Embassy in Paris and were being turned away without any further information.
The DA Abroad France Committee took the initiative to formally write to the South African Embassy in Paris on 17 July 2018, informing them of the situation and setting out that by not allowing South Africans in France to register to vote, South Africans in France were effectively being disenfranchised of their constitutional right to vote.
Read the letter sent by the DA Abroad France Committee (pdf)
On 20 July 2018, the South African Embassy in Paris replied to the DA Abroad France Committee informing them that voter registration is open at the South African Embassy in Paris as per the IEC circular and promptly updated its website regarding registering and voting abroad.
Read the letter sent by the South African Embassy in Paris (pdf)
We would like to thank the Ambassador Molekane for his swift response to our letter, and we hope that the South African Embassy in Paris will from now on ensure the smooth and efficient delivery of the South Africans elections in 2019 to allow those in France to vote and make their voices heard.
For more information on how to register to vote abroad in 2019 please read our FAQs on overseas voting.