Selebi-Phikwe — The Independent Electoral Commission office in Selebi-Phikwe is overwhelmed with voters who continue to register more than twice.

Principal elections officer, Oamogetse Monyena, says this might be due to lack of education about the registration procedure.

He said at the weekend that they are currently handling cases of double and even triple registration by some voters as a result of voter fraud by candidates. The cases involves about eight voters.

He said as a result it is difficult to ascertain that the numbers they have already registered for the October general elections are legitimate ones to vote or not.

"We have registered many people but the question is: Are they going to be translated into tangible numbers. It is a serious challenge on our part. If the system was such that we are able to detect during registration that a particular electorate is legible or otherwise then it would be much better," the IEC officer asked.

The observation has been that currently, the IEC depends on the information that the electorate gives them, and as long as the system is not improved the problem of multiple registration will continue.

Others use electronic devices to register voters for early detection of those who may be registering more than once.

As at March 31, there were 8,287 voters registered in Selebi-Phikwe East constituency while 8,753 were registered in Selebi-Phikwe West constituency.

These numbers include transfer voters but the office is still awaiting the numbers that were registered during the most recent supplementary registration period. Registered numbers that are still at date stage are 1,531 for Selebi-Phikwe East constituency and 1,520 for Selebi-Phikwe West constituency.

Monyena indicated that it is also difficult to say whether there has been any increase or decrease in the voters registered this year compared to the previous general elections because it is not certain that the numbers that are still at data stage will be declared legible. He indicated that the electorate are being ferried into the constituencies during registration. "We just do not know yet if the end product will translate into real numbers that we want".

The elections officer also said they have serious problems with transfers. He blamed candidates for troubling voters to move from one area to another.

He however said they gladly accept transfers in and cited that soldiers who go on trips register at their respective bases only to transfer upon return.

"We have quite an impressive number of them transferring and we assist them accordingly because it is their democratic right to vote".

He indicated that they had challenges where some voters registered using non-existent plot numbers or using wrong plot numbers. He said candidates have already registered objections though most of them turned up at the last day of the objections period and the office is still yet to address them.

Monyena further noted that this year the system of counting will be different in that each ward and constituency will have its nomination and voting centre and a good number of returning officers will be deployed.