By Emily Setona
QWAQWA – The Speaker of the Free State Legislature Zanele Sifuba led a three-day ID and voter education campaign which kicked off at the Harrismith town library on Monday.
Sifuba was joined by Thabo Mofutsanyana executive mayor Conny Msibi in educating people about the importance of having an Identity Document (ID), and handing over goods to community members.
The office of the speaker had invited the community to take part in the campaign, and several pickup points were arranged for people to be transported to the venue.
“Having an ID is the base of being a South African citizen and since the Free State Legislature is an activist driven legislature, we saw the need to bring this campaign to the people of Maluti–a–Phofung,” Sifuba said.
Many of the people who attended the event were parents who brought along their children to apply for their smart cards for the first time.
One of those, also who attended the campaign was Nthabiseng Ralebenya, a learner from Tshibollo Secondary School, who came with her mother Mafusi Mosala to apply for her smart card as she has already turned sixteen years old.
“After hearing the announcement last night, my mom told to report that I will be absent from school so she could accompany me to Charles Mopeli for me to apply for my ID,” she said.
Another applicant, Nkejana Mofokeng who lost his ID document, also came to apply for his smart card.
“I am very happy that home affairs came here to bring services directly to us because I am one of the people who need a smart card, ” Mofokeng said.
Scores of community members converged at Charles Mopeli’s Thusong centre to receive assistance from the Department of Home affairs, SASSA, and the IEC with applying for their ID smart card, and to register to vote in the 2024 national elections.
The following day the same campaign was taken to the community of Bethlehem, Bohlokong New hall in the Dihlabeng local municipality.
