The Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) has to cut operation expenses because the “cost of elections is spiralling and very soon we will not be able to afford elections”, the commission’s former election matters GM Granville Abrahams said on Monday.
Abrahams, part of 11 candidates vying for three IEC commissioner posts, was interviewed by a panel chaired by chief justice Mandisa Maya in Midrand.
The interviewing panel included public protector Kholeka Gcaleka, SA human rights commission (SAHRC) chair Chris Nissen and commission for gender equality chair Nthabiseng Sepanya-Mogale.
The adoption of an electronic voting system in SA took centre stage at the interviews. Abrahams told the panel the IT development could be used as a cost-saving measure as most state entities and essential departments struggle from budget constraints.
“I would hope electronic voting would increase voter turnout, improve accuracy and lessen challenges that we have [such as] the litigation post election,” Abrahams said.
“I would hope not just implementing electronic voting for the sake of implementing electronic voting but we can also bring about cost reduction. The cost of elections is spiralling, very soon we will not be able to afford elections.”
The chief justice found Abrahams’ remarks that the commission might not be able to afford elections in the future “chilling”.
“I find it chilling that there could be a day when we cannot afford to hold elections,” she said before asking Abrahams to list contributing factors to costs.
He said the commission’s renting office space in every municipal district and hosting two voter registration weekends was costly.
About 50% of the people who show-up at voting stations during registration weekend were already registered and merely checked status, he said, adding it was not contributing much value to attracting new voters.
When quizzed whether having only one registration weekend instead of two by the panel would not disadvantage people who wanted to check their registration status, he disagreed.
He said people can check their registration status online but there would be a need for zero-rated internet access to cost saving.
He said the commission could have a dual voting system to test out the IT development.
Abrahams argued the electronic system could work even in rural areas, saying that many people were exposed to ATMs in those parts of the country and could understand the system when educated.
The IEC is funded through national fiscus by the department of home affairs. According to home affairs budgets, the IEC was allocated 2.2bn in 2023/24, R2.3bn in 2024/25 and R2.1bn for 2025/26.
Civil organisations have spoken out over the years on budget cuts for IEC lamenting they serve as a threat to its mandate and essentially democracy.
IEC chair Mosotho Moepya, shortlisted to contest for a second seven-year term, disagreed with Abrahams the institution would someday not afford to run operations.
“SA has done well in looking at electoral democracy in how it functions. We are completely funded by the national fiscus. The chances of being told there is no money to do this work, I think they are fairly distant from where I sit,” he said.
Maya asked whether he agreed the national fiscus was severely strained. Moepya agreed but rejected the suggestion the commission’s operational expenses might be a threat to its mandate.
“The issue is not that there would be no money but the extent to which funding is available. We see it election after election,” he said.
“We compete with the health, education and justice departments, all these essential services. All of us have to find solutions to deal with what we need to do. There are areas of work that would need us to find a better way of resourcing them.
“My outlook is not doom.”
He said the IEC would probably adopt an electronic voting system in 2034.
The interviews continue on Tuesday.
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