Home Affairs Extends Front-Office Hours to Help Voters Secure IDs

The department says the change will let eligible voters collect identity documents or obtain Temporary Identity Certificates with election-day hours matched to the electoral commission.

Overview

The Department of Home Affairs announced an operational extension at its front offices to ensure eligible voters can access identity documents needed to vote.
Front offices will operate longer hours in the days before the election and will open from 07:00 to 21:00 on election day to match the Electoral Commission’s voting hours.
Services covered by the extended hours include collection of completed identity documents, new ID applications and issuance of Temporary Identity Certificates, which allow people without a full ID book or card to cast a ballot.
Home Affairs called on people who have already applied for identity documents to collect them and asked stakeholder forums, community structures and leaders to encourage eligible voters to secure documentation; the department provided media contact Ndileka Cola for enquiries.
The aim is to remove a common administrative barrier to voting by keeping offices accessible during polling hours, which could ease last-minute problems and help more residents participate in the local government election.