{"id":967325,"date":"2024-05-27T10:44:52","date_gmt":"2024-05-27T10:44:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost:8888\/dm-simulator-v2\/?p=967325"},"modified":"2024-05-27T10:44:52","modified_gmt":"2024-05-27T10:44:52","slug":"correctional-services-slammed-for-not-supporting-voting-of-inmates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elections.sabc.co.za\/elections2024\/correctional-services-slammed-for-not-supporting-voting-of-inmates\/","title":{"rendered":"Correctional Services slammed for not supporting voting of inmates"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Prisoners\u2019 rights activist and former inmate Lerato Manaka has criticised the Department of Correctional Services for not doing enough to ensure inmates<\/a> have the necessary documentation to vote in the May 29 elections.<\/p>\n

The Department of Correctional Services has stated it is ready for inmates to vote on Election Day, with approximately 14,753 inmates registered to vote.<\/p>\n

Manaka expressed concerns about the department\u2019s efforts to help prisoners participate in this year\u2019s elections.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrisoners that are registered to vote, some of them might have registered a very long time ago before their incarceration. The concern is that only about 40% are foreigners and 60% are South Africans. Out of that 60%, only 20% have IDs in their possession in the correctional centers. The rest, unfortunately, don\u2019t have their ID documents and therefore won\u2019t be able to participate in the upcoming elections,\u201d Manaka says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese people have a democratic right to exercise their right to vote. If you don\u2019t give them options to choose by allowing the campaigning inside the correctional centre, how then are they going to vote? Who are they going to vote for?\u201d Manaka added.<\/p>\n

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