1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: You're with Clement Manatela seven two. 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:08,320 Speaker 2: But right now we start our conversation with Morris Lee Clark, 3 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:12,119 Speaker 2: who is the general Manager for Civic Education, Research and 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 2: Knowledge Management at the IC. And we're having this chat 5 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 2: as we all prepare for the local government elections that 6 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:23,120 Speaker 2: are coming up in a few months time. And I 7 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 2: wonder how excited you are about the upcoming local government 8 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 2: elections they're on the horizon. The IC has been hard 9 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:35,840 Speaker 2: at work laying the groundwork, running voter registration drives, engaging 10 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 2: communities across all the different provinces. They're working to ensure 11 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:44,160 Speaker 2: that when election day arrives, the infrastructure for a free 12 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 2: and fair vote is in place. 13 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 3: Right. 14 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 2: They've also been conducting outreach programs that are targeting young 15 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 2: and first time voters, coordinating with municipalities. So a lot 16 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 2: of work has been done. But now what's concerning now 17 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 2: is there's this new Voter Participate Patient Survey that was 18 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:04,759 Speaker 2: commissioned by the IIC itself and conducted by the Human 19 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 2: Sciences Research Council, which paints a deeply concerning picture of 20 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 2: where South Africans stand. I mean, confidence in democracy is 21 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 2: at a historic low, and I wonder how that's this 22 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 2: then affects the elections that come up. So please give 23 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 2: us a call or sender. What's a voice? Not if 24 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 2: you're one of those that are excited about the upcoming 25 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 2: local government elections, but also I want to know if 26 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 2: you are not excited, what's the reason for your lack 27 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 2: of excitement And are you one of those people who 28 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 2: who believe just the confidence in democracy is actually low? 29 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,479 Speaker 2: And you that's the sense that you get and why 30 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 2: do you think that is? Oh one eight eight three 31 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 2: oh seven oh two. You can send WhatsApps as well 32 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 2: on seven two seven two one seven oh two Morecie, 33 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 2: thank you so much for making time. 34 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 3: Good morning, welcome to the show. 35 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: Good morning, thank you for having me. Happy to be here. 36 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 3: So I let's start just with where things are now. 37 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 2: I mean, obviously, as the IC, you always have to 38 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 2: begin preparations way in advance. And it's not just making 39 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 2: sure infrastructure is fine, the devices, but it's also just 40 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 2: engaging with communities. 41 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 3: How extensive has that work been now? 42 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: That work is not just extensive, Clement, it's continuous. And 43 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: I think South Africans tend to believe or have the 44 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:29,640 Speaker 1: misconception that once an election is done. We're not doing 45 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 1: anything at the IC. So my role, together with the 46 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 1: team who puts together our civic and democracy education programs, 47 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 1: must ensure that it is continuous, but it also reaches 48 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 1: all citizens. I'm talking as young as foundation phase at school, 49 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: all the way to obviously people who are of voting 50 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:51,959 Speaker 1: age public. So what we do that is different ahead 51 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: of an election year is that we expand our capacity 52 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: to do that because phase to phase has shown to 53 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:00,239 Speaker 1: be one of the most important ways to reach our people. 54 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: So we have to increase the number of outreach IC 55 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 1: officials ahead of an election so that we reach more people, 56 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,960 Speaker 1: more fast and more widely. However, the work and all 57 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,920 Speaker 1: the programs continue year in year outs. 58 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 2: Okay, so can you just explain also just what you 59 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 2: do for the civic education, research and Knowledge management. What 60 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 2: do you guys focus on, Like, what are the kind 61 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 2: of programs that you do and who are they targeted at. 62 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 1: Yes, so we are responding within Civic Education, Research and 63 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: Knowledge Management to our mandate to educate and inform as 64 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: well as conduct research. And when we speak about research, 65 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: people don't also realize that research is part of the 66 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 1: IC's mandate because we need to ensure as an election 67 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: management body that we're providing insights but also ways in 68 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 1: which we can improve democracy and the running of elections. 69 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: So we set the strategy in terms of what needs 70 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 1: to be a secuted around the provinces, all nine provinces, 71 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: and all our programs then get implemented in all of 72 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: the nine provinces, all the way down to local offices 73 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 1: by outreach officials. 74 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 2: Okay, I see and over the years, though, has the 75 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 2: message been lending? What do you think the weaknesses are? 76 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:20,719 Speaker 2: Because we still see a lot, especially a lot of 77 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 2: young people that are not coming out in their numbers 78 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 2: to to to register that there's there's a huge pool 79 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 2: of people who qualify to vote in this country, but 80 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:32,480 Speaker 2: a lot of them just simply don't do it. 81 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 3: So where do you think that the issues are? 82 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 1: Well, there are number of issues clement So are there 83 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:43,039 Speaker 1: is there sufficient civic education happening in the country. Are 84 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 1: there enough programs by the emb and other stakeholders. Definitely, 85 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: I think that's a fact. We see it the people 86 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 1: employed to do it. However, we're dealing with an environment 87 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:55,359 Speaker 1: where there's a lot of disillusionment and one of the 88 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:59,040 Speaker 1: researchers said yesterday that it's very difficult to mobilize people 89 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 1: who think that democracy there's no point to democracy. It 90 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:05,160 Speaker 1: becomes very, very difficult. So those are some of the 91 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: challenges that we're faced with as their IEC trying to 92 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:14,359 Speaker 1: engage people who have switched off in a way. But 93 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 1: it becomes even more important than to continue the work 94 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 1: because we do not want a South Africa where a 95 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: small number of people participate in elections and all democratic 96 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:28,359 Speaker 1: processes for that matter, because elections are part of the 97 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:32,720 Speaker 1: ecosystem and not the only way in which citizens participate 98 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 1: in democracy. So do people know who their counselors are, 99 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:39,359 Speaker 1: are their attending community meetings? Are they adding their voice 100 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:43,799 Speaker 1: and setting priorities in those communities? So you know, water 101 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 1: is important here or education here? How are budgets being 102 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: used in communities? And we want communities to really engage 103 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:54,719 Speaker 1: fully because then they will also see even more value 104 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 1: in what their vote translates to in terms of who 105 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 1: they've elected and what it is that they're providing. 106 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:02,839 Speaker 2: Yeah, and of course this is not the work that's 107 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 2: just going to be done by the IC if we 108 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 2: are not going to have success in just getting people 109 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 2: to understand how important it is that they play a part, 110 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:16,719 Speaker 2: but also in understanding how important it is that they vote. 111 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 2: It's the media needs to play a part, government needs 112 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:22,919 Speaker 2: to play. And I often wonder if I mean the 113 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 2: easiest thing to do is to just make sure that 114 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 2: this is somehow embraced even in the curriculum. Do we 115 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 2: teach children from when they are still very much here 116 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 2: to understand the importance of voting and to sort of 117 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,560 Speaker 2: understand the political system that you vote and then when 118 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:42,680 Speaker 2: you vote, this is the result you get. But also 119 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 2: if you're unhappy about certain things, you can come back 120 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 2: five years later or whatever. Do you think there's a 121 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 2: role government can play that is more or do you 122 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 2: think they're already playing that role it's through their curriculum, 123 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 2: especially the Basic Education Department. 124 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: I think there's an opportunity to strengthen it, and we've 125 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,080 Speaker 1: had conversations with the Minister of Basic as you can 126 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 1: just to renew and revive. So we do have a 127 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 1: standing MoU with dB the Department of Basic Education, which 128 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 1: enables us to go into schools, as I said, right 129 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 1: from grade one all the way to metric to do 130 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 1: civic education. But also we produce a training manual for 131 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: teachers so that they're also able to do it within 132 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: the L subject. So it is civic education is embedded 133 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 1: within L. But I think they definitely opportunities to really 134 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 1: strengthen it. For example, sometimes a person will say, if 135 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 1: you don't test something, a child won't remember it. So 136 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: maybe we need to put it in other subjects and 137 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: really make it almost a per pervasive learning. So in maths, 138 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 1: you know, teach a little bit about counting of votes. 139 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:50,240 Speaker 1: In geography, get them to understand, you know, a demarcation 140 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: and voting station and how those are selected. So in 141 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: those sort of problems solving or examples within various subjects, 142 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: infuse electoral sort of knowledge so that it really begins 143 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:05,119 Speaker 1: to build up for young people, and then they see 144 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: their role once they turn sixteen them as register an 145 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 1: eighteenen vote because you've been teaching it not just subtly, 146 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: but you're making it practical. I think that's the thing. 147 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: You're making it. 148 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:18,080 Speaker 2: Practically because I would have loved to leave school and 149 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 2: I fully understand the essence of this democracy, or I 150 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 2: can recite the preamble of the Constitution, or I mean, 151 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:29,960 Speaker 2: we need to get to that point, because that's really 152 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 2: how you get them to be interested. So I spoke 153 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 2: about this research that you commissioned as the IEC, which 154 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 2: found that, you know, confidence in democracy is that a 155 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 2: historical law. Only seventeen percent of South African say they're 156 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 2: satisfied with how democracy is working in their lives, while 157 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 2: sixty eight percent or so are not. How do you 158 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 2: interpret this as the IEC, and does it concern you 159 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 2: at all? 160 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 1: It absolutely concerns us, and it should concern everybody because 161 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 1: what the is also does that it paints a picture 162 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 1: for all of us as stakeholders, so for even you 163 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: as the media. It tells you exactly where people get 164 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 1: their credible information. It tells you what trust and which 165 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 1: platforms for media they prefer. But I mean, declined from 166 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 1: two thousand and four from sixty three percent satisfaction with 167 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:25,319 Speaker 1: democracy to seventeen percent is very worrying. But we don't 168 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 1: take that fatalistic sort of approach. We are not defeated 169 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:31,679 Speaker 1: by it. For us, it says you need to do 170 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:34,440 Speaker 1: much more, You need to do much more targeting. And 171 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:38,079 Speaker 1: I think we've already started responding to this research because 172 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 1: we did receive some of the preliminary research earlier on 173 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:47,200 Speaker 1: and so we've crafted this elections programs very much to 174 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 1: respond to this, and that's why we've decided to reveal 175 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 1: the slogan and the logo of our LGE twenty six 176 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 1: twenty seven next week on the first. Because the research 177 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: says you need to be out there with messaging longer, 178 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:07,680 Speaker 1: for a longer period, and not just before the election. 179 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 1: So we're trying to respond to being in people's faces, 180 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 1: in their ears, on their phones for a longer period 181 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,040 Speaker 1: to raise awareness about elections. 182 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 2: So from your observation and looking at this research, do 183 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 2: you get a sense that dissatisfaction, of course, with dissatisfaction 184 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 2: with government performance affects whether people register to vote or not. 185 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:33,560 Speaker 2: Because I see in the research between seventy three and 186 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 2: eighty two percent of those surveys said that corruption, unemployment, 187 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 2: the rising cost of living, crime had all worsened over 188 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:45,240 Speaker 2: the past five years. That dissatisfaction. How does it then 189 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 2: affect that even people who want to register to vote 190 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:50,080 Speaker 2: or not. 191 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:54,080 Speaker 1: It's directly related. It is the reason people are saying 192 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 1: they do not register and do not vote, because people 193 00:10:57,280 --> 00:11:00,199 Speaker 1: are saying they do not see the democratic dividend, they 194 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: do not see the RORI you know, the return on 195 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 1: investment for this vote that they're making. And that is 196 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:10,560 Speaker 1: the reason why they're disengaging, not because they don't know 197 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 1: that elections are coming, and not because necessarily that the 198 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: duty to vote has you know, declined that drastically. People 199 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 1: still have a sense that they must vote. They understand 200 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 1: what citizenship is about, but they're so disillusioned with their 201 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 1: day to day environment that they're failing to connect why 202 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:35,600 Speaker 1: should I then vote. I'm voting for people, but where 203 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:39,440 Speaker 1: is the delivery? And that's the association. And when it 204 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,480 Speaker 1: comes to then trust, because they've lost trust in politicians, 205 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 1: political leaders and governance and democracy, it begins to pull 206 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 1: down even the trust within the IEC, even though those 207 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 1: who do vote rate the work of the IEC quite highly. 208 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 1: And we'll try and clement with this election to say 209 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 1: to South Africans, come and see it for yourself, because 210 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 1: there is that disconnect between people who have voted, who 211 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:07,839 Speaker 1: are saying the processes go well, you know, the officials 212 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 1: are professional. I saw it looked transparent and all of that. 213 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: That's very high, and yet trust in the IC is 214 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:19,960 Speaker 1: declining in democratic institutions, in democracy, so we need to 215 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 1: fill that gap. We need to fill that gap, and 216 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 1: we need to do have a combined effort by all stakeholder's, 217 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:29,080 Speaker 1: not just the IC, to get more people going through 218 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:32,319 Speaker 1: this passage to experiencing it yourself so that you tell 219 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 1: your own story. Because also misinformation is a problem in 220 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 1: our society. People just believe what they hear. 221 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 2: Absolutely, I saw that. I mean, there's been a strategy 222 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:44,319 Speaker 2: I've picked up over the last couple of years with 223 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 2: the IC where you drive in to engage people that 224 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:49,560 Speaker 2: are more influential living on social media to try and 225 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:53,240 Speaker 2: help you with the messaging. Has that been helping because 226 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 2: I mean, influencers have people who follow them. Yes, I 227 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 2: just wonder when they come out and say, hey, let's 228 00:12:58,400 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 2: go vote. 229 00:12:59,440 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 4: You know. 230 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:07,200 Speaker 1: People interesting. Again, our research over there has told us 231 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: that people don't believe in celebrities advice, so we must differentiate, 232 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:16,440 Speaker 1: and so our strategy has been to use more people 233 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: who are organically talking about elections, talking about democracy, talking 234 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:22,079 Speaker 1: about the political space. 235 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 3: They've already started that, they. 236 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:27,200 Speaker 1: Started have them exactly, So we're not we're not we're 237 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 1: not buying their interest. There are citizens who are already 238 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:33,440 Speaker 1: interested and have a following. What we do then is 239 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:36,560 Speaker 1: empower them with information and give them access to us 240 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:42,360 Speaker 1: to ask questions. I have this idea, Clement really coming 241 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:45,320 Speaker 1: out of the research Doctor Roberts was saying, we have 242 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 1: a lot of happy voters. Well maybe not a lot, 243 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:52,560 Speaker 1: but we have happy voters and unhappy abstainers. And I 244 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:55,199 Speaker 1: just feel like we need to gather around all these 245 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 1: unhappy abstainers and just say, ask the questions because a 246 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:00,200 Speaker 1: lot of the time, in my experience, because we do 247 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 1: all of these engagements all around the country, the misconceptions 248 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 1: are real. You know, there's a lot of myths that 249 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:08,960 Speaker 1: people are paid, believe. 250 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:13,839 Speaker 3: You're the common one. 251 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:16,680 Speaker 1: That that one, but more that if I don't go 252 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:21,480 Speaker 1: and vote, they'll take my vote anyway. And I'm just like, wait, wait, 253 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:24,760 Speaker 1: does it exist? But it needs to exist sometimes say 254 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 1: that exactly exactly, And so we all need to be 255 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 1: responsible about the space because the impact is really really 256 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: it can be dire if we seek out ways in 257 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:40,440 Speaker 1: which to, you know, discourage people from participating. We want 258 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: to South Africa that thrives, a democracy that thrives, and 259 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:45,040 Speaker 1: all of us must play our parts. 260 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, one, one, eight, three, seven two. Maybe you've got 261 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 2: some ideas also for the ice on how we can 262 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 2: really get people to come out, because there are a 263 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 2: lot of them out there that can vote, some are 264 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 2: staying away based on the misconceptions they have. So what 265 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:05,200 Speaker 2: are the creative ways you're thinking of that you can 266 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 2: give to more here to jot down and go discuss 267 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:11,880 Speaker 2: with with with the head team. I was actually thinking 268 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 2: earlier what happens when, like you do, you do like 269 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 2: a big not party, but like you host like a 270 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 2: music show, you bring in like the best artists that 271 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 2: young people love, and before they enjoy that show that 272 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 2: they have to go registered. 273 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 1: Register to vote. 274 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 3: They're at the entrance registered to vote before stadio. 275 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 1: Yes, I agree, And you know, lemen, we're actually a 276 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 1: couple all our interventions with CD with with voter registration. 277 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 1: So we always have officials right there with the VMD 278 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,880 Speaker 1: able to help people to register. And we'd love for 279 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 1: artists to say, you know what, as my CSI, this 280 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 1: is it, I'm going to do this. It really will 281 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:57,560 Speaker 1: take all of us, and you know, nobody has endless 282 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 1: funds to do all of these elaborate, high paged things, 283 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 1: so it really must take initiative from those who are 284 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 1: able to say, let's partner, I have an audience. You 285 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:09,080 Speaker 1: come on board and let's get South Africa. 286 00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 3: This would be incredible. Imagine black coffee coming out. 287 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, all these big artists saying, this is my 288 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 2: CSI project. We're gonna have a big concert at F 289 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 2: and B. The IC is gonna be there with a 290 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:25,479 Speaker 2: huge infrastructure. Before you come in, your ticket is registered 291 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:25,960 Speaker 2: to vote. 292 00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 3: That's it. 293 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:28,920 Speaker 2: That would be so incredible. All right, let's go to 294 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:31,160 Speaker 2: some cause. I'm gonna ask you to put on your headphones. 295 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 2: We're gonna take some calls on oh one one eighty 296 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:35,960 Speaker 2: three H seven oh two? Your what's ups on? Oh 297 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 2: seven to seven O two one seven O two. Shaddy, 298 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 2: you are calling from Midrand. Good morning, Hi, how are you? 299 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 2: I'm all right, Shaddy? How are you doing? 300 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 5: And your guests? Good morning? It's so morning, great show, 301 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 5: great topic. 302 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:50,960 Speaker 3: Thanks that topic. 303 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:55,600 Speaker 5: I think, you know, the lady speaks so well and 304 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:59,440 Speaker 5: eloquently about the role and the responsibility of the IC, 305 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 5: and I just kind of think there's such a disjuncture 306 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:09,000 Speaker 5: in her role in terms of what she has to 307 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:12,240 Speaker 5: do is to work literally against the current by getting 308 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 5: people to come back, all those at least that have 309 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:18,720 Speaker 5: voter epathy to come back and vote. But at the 310 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:23,920 Speaker 5: same time, you know, people are kind of feeling very unresponsive, 311 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 5: and there's such a high polarization and an anti democracy 312 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:33,240 Speaker 5: or anti party you know, set up between the mindset 313 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 5: of people, because it looks as if, you know, the 314 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:39,679 Speaker 5: ICY wants us to come and exercise our democracy and 315 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 5: all good and well, but democracy is kind of looking 316 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:46,359 Speaker 5: like it's failing at the hands of the very parties 317 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:50,359 Speaker 5: and the institution that the citizens are depending on. And 318 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:53,720 Speaker 5: therefore there's a total decline of trust, you know, and 319 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:58,359 Speaker 5: and and they're looking at like what has voting done 320 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:03,960 Speaker 5: for me? So, you know, the ICY really honestly rocks 321 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:09,600 Speaker 5: up at at this particular time asking for people to vote. 322 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:12,400 Speaker 5: And so to the to the very parties that ask 323 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:15,160 Speaker 5: for people to vote, they give people T shirts, they 324 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 5: do concerts, and I hear you guys saying, womens force 325 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 5: people to come into a concert and vote. No, that's 326 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 5: not how it works, and that should never how it 327 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:27,960 Speaker 5: be work. People should take their civic duties very important 328 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:30,959 Speaker 5: and you know, and be very serious about them, but 329 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 5: also feel that their contribution is making an impact. And 330 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 5: I think that is what is lacking within whether the 331 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:42,399 Speaker 5: younger or even the despondent or epithetic voter population of 332 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 5: South Africa. And it's sad because I think the ICY 333 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:54,119 Speaker 5: doesn't really monitor the role to keep parties accountable to 334 00:18:55,520 --> 00:18:57,920 Speaker 5: what they say during the time in which they kind 335 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 5: of encourage people to come in and vote. So I 336 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 5: feel like it's such a huge junction. 337 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:08,679 Speaker 2: And said, that's the need for all the stakeholders to 338 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 2: work together. Look, I mean, shuddy, one thing I've picked 339 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:16,480 Speaker 2: up is that, and I see this with my own family, 340 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:19,560 Speaker 2: my sister or my cousins. When I ask have you 341 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 2: registered to vote? Oh no, why there's not really reason. 342 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:26,879 Speaker 2: There's no reason. They're just lazy or they just don't 343 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:30,199 Speaker 2: understand the importance of registering to vote. But when you 344 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 2: say to them that, okay, what if I bought you 345 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:34,880 Speaker 2: this ticket, are you gonna go register to vote? 346 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:36,640 Speaker 3: They will come. 347 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 2: I know that if you say some artists was popular, 348 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 2: and you say he's performing there you want if you 349 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 2: want to come to that concert, come your ticket is 350 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 2: your registration to vote. I'm telling you, young people will 351 00:19:50,119 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 2: come and they will register to vote, and that's the 352 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:54,920 Speaker 2: first step we need. Once they've registered to vote, will 353 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:57,680 Speaker 2: work on getting them to the polls. But you can't 354 00:19:57,720 --> 00:20:00,359 Speaker 2: get them to the polls you have not registered, So 355 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:02,400 Speaker 2: then you have to be creative around how you get 356 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:05,720 Speaker 2: them to register. Absolutely, and that means you manipulate them 357 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:07,680 Speaker 2: through these concepts where. 358 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 3: I know it's a bit, I can use it. 359 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 1: No no, no, no no no. We're encouraging them urges and 360 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 1: for me it's it's important and it is really what 361 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:21,440 Speaker 1: we're seeking to do because our outreach programs and I'm 362 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:25,399 Speaker 1: including communications and all the civic education are about reaching 363 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:28,439 Speaker 1: voters where they are, reaching South Africa's way. That's why 364 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:32,119 Speaker 1: we're on all social media methods, to utilize all media platforms, 365 00:20:32,119 --> 00:20:35,600 Speaker 1: community radio. We speak in all of the official languages 366 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 1: because language creates understanding and people feel resonance, they feel 367 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:43,399 Speaker 1: it is relevant. We're able to localize their issues in 368 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:46,119 Speaker 1: encouraging thing to vote. But I don't think we should 369 00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 1: dismiss the more creative ways, the arts ways of calling 370 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 1: on young people, because as I said earlier, you cannot 371 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:57,159 Speaker 1: mobilize people who've decided they don't want to come, So 372 00:20:57,160 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 1: I must find ways in which I can reach them. 373 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:03,439 Speaker 1: Once they're they then we can have the conversation but 374 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:06,920 Speaker 1: if I haven't gathered them, I can't have that conversation 375 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:10,400 Speaker 1: with them. And that's why I say all unhappy abstainers. 376 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:12,480 Speaker 1: If I could, you know, give everybody my number, I 377 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 1: would because I want people to ask the questions engaged, 378 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:18,800 Speaker 1: let's debate. I love to debate, but if you ask 379 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:21,160 Speaker 1: the questions, you get the information and then you're able 380 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:22,840 Speaker 1: to change your own mind. 381 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:26,639 Speaker 2: I think what we should do infect Marcus is we 382 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 2: must have some partnerships with you guys. When we do 383 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:33,120 Speaker 2: our town halls or maybe Prime media, invite our listeners 384 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:37,679 Speaker 2: who are unhappy voters, yes, who are abstainers, just so 385 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 2: they can come and us. 386 00:21:41,119 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, and we take it live on the radio. 387 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:47,919 Speaker 1: We can't them service delivery. We can explain electoral process 388 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 1: and their role as citizens. 389 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:53,120 Speaker 2: Absolutely, because when we interview politicians, that's when they can 390 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:56,080 Speaker 2: ask politicians they have questions about service delivery. But quickly 391 00:21:56,119 --> 00:21:58,919 Speaker 2: Shaddy spoke about the issue of political parties. 392 00:21:58,560 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 3: And then being held accountable. 393 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:02,399 Speaker 2: They say, I know that there's often like a code 394 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:06,479 Speaker 2: of conduct once the election season begins, so political parties 395 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 2: can't just say whatever they want. But has that work, 396 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 2: that accountability mechanism? 397 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, so we must clarify that IC does not monitor 398 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 1: the delivery of manifestos for political parties. That is for 399 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:24,959 Speaker 1: you as citizens. And again this is where the disjuncture happens, 400 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:28,920 Speaker 1: is that citizens have forgotten or maybe sometimes are not 401 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:31,199 Speaker 1: clear about what their role is. And that's why for me, 402 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:33,640 Speaker 1: I loved our slogan in the last election it said, 403 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:37,160 Speaker 1: it's your democracy own it. So you need to hold 404 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 1: a political leaders accountable for what they said, they've promised. 405 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:47,200 Speaker 1: What we would monitor would be their behavior within electoral processes. 406 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:50,160 Speaker 1: You know, our things being done fairly. Are they following 407 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:52,880 Speaker 1: the rules in terms of engagement so that the process 408 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:57,000 Speaker 1: is free and fair, but not delivery of what they've promised, 409 00:22:57,000 --> 00:23:01,160 Speaker 1: and obviously definitely not monitoring service delivery. After that, our 410 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:05,439 Speaker 1: role is to manage elections efficiently, to inform citizens and 411 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 1: encourage participation. 412 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, but I suppose what I was referring to is, 413 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:13,159 Speaker 2: for instance, misleading statements about yes, oh if you vote 414 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:16,280 Speaker 2: for smaller parties, you're wasting your vote. For instance, we'll 415 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 2: fall within the confines of like the conduct of conduct. 416 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 1: Code of conducts. 417 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:25,159 Speaker 3: See, yeah, but is it something someone can complain about? 418 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: Definitely, some something you give. 419 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:28,960 Speaker 3: There's something false. 420 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 1: Yes, absolutely out the elections. Yes, yes, I mean if 421 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:36,680 Speaker 1: it's it's if it's statistically incorrect to say so. Yeah, 422 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:41,600 Speaker 1: you can complain. Citizens can complain and obviously the relevant 423 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:44,360 Speaker 1: party or political leader would also have to correct. 424 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, all right, it's ten thirty two. 425 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:49,959 Speaker 2: Let's get the latest narwitness use headlines when we come back. Carol, 426 00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:52,200 Speaker 2: I saw you, Tandy. I'll start with your calls after 427 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 2: the headlines. Are your what's ups as well? On seven 428 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 2: two seven two one seven o two? Are you a 429 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:01,000 Speaker 2: happy voter? Are you and I'm vote? Are you the 430 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:02,240 Speaker 2: person that upstains? 431 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:03,679 Speaker 3: Do you have. 432 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:08,479 Speaker 2: Stuff you want clarified by the IEC before you decide 433 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:11,199 Speaker 2: whether to register or to actually prepare to vote. 434 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 3: Give us a call. 435 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:17,640 Speaker 4: Seven litu reclements matela show, Let's walk, let's talk. 436 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 2: Forty two minutes before eleven outlock. We're having a conversation 437 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 2: this morning with the IEC as we prepare for the 438 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:30,960 Speaker 2: upcoming local government elections. Marche Si Leicak, who is the 439 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:35,200 Speaker 2: general manager for Civic Education, Research and Knowledge Management, and 440 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:38,120 Speaker 2: we've been talking about just what needs to be done, 441 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:40,800 Speaker 2: you know, to get people to come out and register 442 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 2: to vote and get people who have registered to vote 443 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:45,879 Speaker 2: to come out and vote, and also dealing with the 444 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:51,639 Speaker 2: misconceptions that exist that often lead to people not getting 445 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:55,360 Speaker 2: to register to vote or ultimately to vote once they're registered. 446 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:57,719 Speaker 2: We want to go to your calls now on one, one, eight, 447 00:24:57,800 --> 00:24:59,879 Speaker 2: eight three or seven oh two. Carol, let's start with 448 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 2: you in morningside. Good morning, Good. 449 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 6: Morning, How are you. 450 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 3: I'm all right, Carol, go ahead, Oh good. 451 00:25:06,560 --> 00:25:10,480 Speaker 6: I just want to make just a few suggestions that 452 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:14,920 Speaker 6: I feel that the IEC need to focus more in 453 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:19,320 Speaker 6: terms of the youth, meaning that they need to start 454 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:23,040 Speaker 6: at the grassroot, talking about people who can vote at 455 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:26,960 Speaker 6: the age of eighteen high school, for example, getting them 456 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:32,120 Speaker 6: to actually understand why they need to vote. Because if 457 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:35,480 Speaker 6: you ask an eighteen year old right now, why do 458 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 6: you need to vote? They don't. They like no, to 459 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:40,920 Speaker 6: choose the president. It's like no, this is how it 460 00:25:41,119 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 6: actually impacts you, like your electricity, your water, your streets, 461 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 6: the crime. And getting them actually involved at that level 462 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:55,120 Speaker 6: already at eighteen, there's not going to be a need 463 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:58,760 Speaker 6: when they're already thirty years old to actually convince them 464 00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 6: and more. And another thing is that like university students, 465 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:08,199 Speaker 6: getting them to understand if they start voting now by 466 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 6: the time they finished university in three four years, then 467 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 6: how is voting now going to impact them? Then whoever 468 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:19,600 Speaker 6: they vote for now is going to be whatever result 469 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 6: that person, that that person has actually done. It will 470 00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 6: impact if they have a job, if they have everything. 471 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 6: So they will take it serious at that stage because 472 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:36,080 Speaker 6: nobody has actually asked these youths, what is it that 473 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 6: you want? What is it that you want to see 474 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:41,199 Speaker 6: about your country change? 475 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:41,720 Speaker 3: Yeah? 476 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:45,399 Speaker 2: Yeah, and Carol, in fact, we've got a we've got 477 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:48,479 Speaker 2: something we're going to be doing from April. We call 478 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:51,440 Speaker 2: it classroom Conversations. We're going to be going to schools 479 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 2: to talk to them about what do you want to 480 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:56,520 Speaker 2: talk to them about, whether they understand it in this 481 00:26:56,680 --> 00:27:00,119 Speaker 2: voting process, and we're taking it across the entier. I 482 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:03,360 Speaker 2: have value changed. So we're going to primary schools, going 483 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 2: to secondary schools, high schools, we're going to universities. In fact, 484 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:10,879 Speaker 2: if you are a university or you're a secondary school, 485 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:12,840 Speaker 2: high school, primary school, and you want us to come 486 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 2: host this show at your school, you want to host 487 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 2: us when we talk about this important issue of voting 488 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:22,159 Speaker 2: what your students, you'll let us think about where this 489 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:24,880 Speaker 2: country is, where the future of this country is going. 490 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:29,400 Speaker 2: Send us an email on contact at seven O two dot. 491 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:32,879 Speaker 2: Do I think that's the email address, right, contact at 492 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:35,080 Speaker 2: seven O two dot if you want us to come 493 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:39,440 Speaker 2: visit your school. But yeah, Marci, that's quite important, isn't it. 494 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:44,399 Speaker 2: That's important for young I mean, for to ask an 495 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:46,320 Speaker 2: eighteen year old why we vote and they think, oh, 496 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:49,119 Speaker 2: it's to choose a president, and they don't know that 497 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:52,399 Speaker 2: actually your livelihood is actually very much linked to the 498 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:53,840 Speaker 2: decisions you make at the polls. 499 00:27:53,960 --> 00:28:00,280 Speaker 1: Absolutely, and Carol makes a very important point, Clement, to 500 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:03,960 Speaker 1: listen to young people. I think we've we've spoken just 501 00:28:04,119 --> 00:28:07,040 Speaker 1: in general as the world, not even as an institution 502 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:11,200 Speaker 1: or as a globally, we speak down to to young 503 00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:14,359 Speaker 1: people and we'll forget. They're not just the custodians of 504 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 1: democracy for tomorrow. They are lead they must lead it today. 505 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:20,880 Speaker 1: And I often even say to young people that sometimes 506 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:24,560 Speaker 1: you don't get so lost in that I'm still young 507 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:28,000 Speaker 1: and I have time thing because the choices the future 508 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:32,159 Speaker 1: unfortunately requires you to make decisions today, and today is 509 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 1: when you are eighteen and costing a vote because you 510 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:39,960 Speaker 1: are aligned with whatever it is that that particular leader 511 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:41,440 Speaker 1: is saying that they will bring to you, and that 512 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:45,160 Speaker 1: must align with what are your ambitions as as a person, 513 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 1: as a young person, I want to work, I want 514 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:49,280 Speaker 1: to work in which sector? 515 00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:50,440 Speaker 7: You know? 516 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:52,920 Speaker 1: You need to edge your voice and and she's very 517 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:57,959 Speaker 1: correct that we need to translate voting into lived experience 518 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:01,800 Speaker 1: in order for young people to get it, because they 519 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:05,440 Speaker 1: don't always make that link. For example, we always have 520 00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:08,920 Speaker 1: at the beginning of each year protest around funding for 521 00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 1: tersiar institutions, and we do go to turia institutions as 522 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:15,320 Speaker 1: well as schools, and it can be quite a volatile 523 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:17,560 Speaker 1: time to go in the beginning of the year because 524 00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:19,840 Speaker 1: we are going there we want to get especially the 525 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:22,120 Speaker 1: eighteen to nineteen year old who are there with their 526 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:24,920 Speaker 1: ideas to come and register. But it can also be 527 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:28,480 Speaker 1: quite a volatile period and so we've also had moments 528 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:32,120 Speaker 1: where we're in the clash of these sort of protests 529 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:36,560 Speaker 1: at times. But voting allows you to have a voice 530 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:40,120 Speaker 1: around how budget is spent and who is speaking to 531 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:44,120 Speaker 1: you about young people's education. Not enough of them are 532 00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:47,560 Speaker 1: able to enter institutions. What are young people saying about that, 533 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:51,280 Speaker 1: doing about it, and how are they using the constitutional 534 00:29:51,400 --> 00:29:54,440 Speaker 1: right to vote to ensure that it translates to a 535 00:29:54,640 --> 00:29:58,360 Speaker 1: future where more young people are able to access institutions 536 00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:01,200 Speaker 1: of higher learning for instance. She's very very correct, and 537 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:04,800 Speaker 1: I think sometimes also just listening to people, Clement makes 538 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:07,880 Speaker 1: a difference and it brings them closer to you. In 539 00:30:08,080 --> 00:30:11,120 Speaker 1: order to learn and to be converted, we need to 540 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:12,600 Speaker 1: listen a little bit more. 541 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:17,640 Speaker 3: Absolutely, Tande you, good morning, I Clement. 542 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:20,600 Speaker 4: Certainly, I just want to start off my comments around 543 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:25,800 Speaker 4: election out of election management bodies in Africa, the IC 544 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:28,040 Speaker 4: is one of the best. They do an incredible job, 545 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:32,720 Speaker 4: so I want to start off there. They overcome challengers 546 00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 4: that are incredibly immen, and so I want to start 547 00:30:38,560 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 4: off with that comment. I think this conversation about civic education. 548 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 4: I mean, while the IC they primary role with voter education. 549 00:30:45,560 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 4: But you know, while we're having this conversation about civic education, 550 00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:52,200 Speaker 4: we've also got to understand the systemic issue. It's by 551 00:30:52,320 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 4: design that people are not taught civics. CLIC education, as 552 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 4: people have all commented on this open line, is obviously 553 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:04,640 Speaker 4: something that needs to start at junior school. You know, 554 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 4: it's the life skills that people are doing in high school. 555 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:10,000 Speaker 4: That's where this thing is supposed to be. You don't 556 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:14,040 Speaker 4: change behavior later on. You develop a citizen from the 557 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 4: start and by design, because if people do not know 558 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:25,160 Speaker 4: how they hold their state and they officials accountable their part, 559 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:28,880 Speaker 4: so they can't contend with what happens in their communities. 560 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:31,200 Speaker 4: I mean, we talk about people getting involved in IDPs 561 00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:35,920 Speaker 4: and understanding budgets. People don't even understand how the fiscal 562 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:38,320 Speaker 4: framework works for local government. 563 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:42,160 Speaker 2: Law even gets drafted because they will say, yeah, but 564 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:44,360 Speaker 2: who decides the laws? But do you know that you 565 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:48,040 Speaker 2: have irresponsibility to go to the public hearings when they 566 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:50,920 Speaker 2: hear you know you before they even go draft the 567 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:52,800 Speaker 2: locust that's a requirement of Parliament. 568 00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:54,080 Speaker 3: Some people don't even know about that. 569 00:31:55,440 --> 00:31:58,400 Speaker 4: And then you know this white paper is now almost 570 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:02,560 Speaker 4: is outfu for review on the local government, the White 571 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:05,440 Speaker 4: Paper for Local Government. It's a very critical time to 572 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:07,760 Speaker 4: get involved in this conversation because it all changed the 573 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:10,880 Speaker 4: way local government works and there's some really critical things 574 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:13,200 Speaker 4: we need to speak about. There my last two points, 575 00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:15,680 Speaker 4: I'll be very quick. There's a very interesting guy in 576 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:18,000 Speaker 4: the Free State, a young man, he's nineteen years old 577 00:32:18,040 --> 00:32:21,960 Speaker 4: at the time, created cards you know, playing cards, but 578 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,880 Speaker 4: they are civics playing cards, and he takes them to taverns. 579 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:29,040 Speaker 4: So while people are you know, in taverns, etc. They're 580 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:33,280 Speaker 4: playing games, civic games with cards, you know. Around this 581 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:37,200 Speaker 4: voter education piece, the thing that was mentioned earlier on 582 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:40,640 Speaker 4: about you know, getting young people to register the vote. 583 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:43,560 Speaker 4: I think a very interesting case again is Kenya. After 584 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:48,560 Speaker 4: the financial and the finance bill uprising there, you've started 585 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 4: seeing a very interesting thing around how they're getting people 586 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:56,560 Speaker 4: to go to It could be a market clement. You know, 587 00:32:56,880 --> 00:33:00,240 Speaker 4: your entry to that thing is your voter registration you 588 00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:03,040 Speaker 4: know does and this is this is this is people. 589 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:05,440 Speaker 4: This is you know, the person who owns the market 590 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:08,600 Speaker 4: in Brahm or the person who owns the market in Rosebank. 591 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:10,840 Speaker 4: You know, going, this is what we're going to do 592 00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:14,120 Speaker 4: as citizens of our country that your entrance in here 593 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:16,240 Speaker 4: is to show that you have registered to vote. So 594 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:19,680 Speaker 4: that that requires us working together. This is not going 595 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:21,719 Speaker 4: to be carried by the icing. It's impossible. 596 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:25,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, true, but thank you so much for for your contribution. 597 00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:29,920 Speaker 2: Incentives are going to be very important. They're just encouraging. 598 00:33:30,040 --> 00:33:33,400 Speaker 2: We're finding creative ways to encourage these young people let's 599 00:33:33,480 --> 00:33:36,360 Speaker 2: let's quickly quickly take Kate is calling us from honey, juke, 600 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:38,120 Speaker 2: Kate high, Hi. 601 00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:38,720 Speaker 7: Can I tell you? 602 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 3: I'm all right? 603 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:39,680 Speaker 2: Kate? 604 00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:41,120 Speaker 3: Go ahead. 605 00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:45,240 Speaker 7: So I grew up in a very active house where 606 00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:49,920 Speaker 7: my parents, even my grandparents used to vote, and they influenced, 607 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 7: you know, that part of me that I need to 608 00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:55,600 Speaker 7: be an active citizen. And I even took a course 609 00:33:55,680 --> 00:33:59,560 Speaker 7: in university first year are called active citizenship and that's 610 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:02,680 Speaker 7: how I learned about how you know to be active 611 00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:06,320 Speaker 7: and voting and all of that. But ever the years 612 00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:09,279 Speaker 7: ago climate, I see the decline in my parents and 613 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:13,040 Speaker 7: my grandparents not voting anymore. And when I try to 614 00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:16,800 Speaker 7: engage with my parents and my grandparents, okay, let's go vote, 615 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:19,719 Speaker 7: they're just not interested because of you know, the political 616 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:22,560 Speaker 7: climate and stuff. So when I then I take it 617 00:34:22,640 --> 00:34:25,160 Speaker 7: up for myself to educate myself, you know, in terms 618 00:34:25,200 --> 00:34:28,640 Speaker 7: of what political parties are they. But the information is 619 00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:31,480 Speaker 7: just a lot to you know, to deal it, and 620 00:34:32,440 --> 00:34:36,600 Speaker 7: there isn't a simple platform where I can go on 621 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 7: and see, okay, who's doing what? You know, initiatives are 622 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:43,680 Speaker 7: they and so forth. And I feel like for young 623 00:34:43,760 --> 00:34:46,520 Speaker 7: people that's a lot we're expecting a lot from them 624 00:34:46,640 --> 00:34:51,839 Speaker 7: to absorb all that information. And another thing, just one 625 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:54,360 Speaker 7: last point, is that I was so disappointed. I'm not 626 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:56,640 Speaker 7: sure if I'm allowed to say the party's name I 627 00:34:56,760 --> 00:35:00,279 Speaker 7: did in one particular party. I was interested in work 628 00:35:00,360 --> 00:35:02,160 Speaker 7: that they're doing, and I thought, you know what, let 629 00:35:02,239 --> 00:35:05,799 Speaker 7: me go on their website, let me be active with them, volunteer. 630 00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:08,360 Speaker 7: I go on their website, I put in my details. 631 00:35:08,719 --> 00:35:11,640 Speaker 7: Two years later, I've never even gotten an email from 632 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:14,080 Speaker 7: them to say, Hi, Kate, we saw you got in 633 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:19,040 Speaker 7: touch with us. How can you know come take part 634 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:22,880 Speaker 7: in our campaign? Nothing? And that was so disappointing for 635 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:25,400 Speaker 7: me to say, like, okay, I took an initiative from 636 00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:29,200 Speaker 7: my side, but the parties are they just there when 637 00:35:29,239 --> 00:35:31,200 Speaker 7: we're voting, but afterwards. 638 00:35:30,760 --> 00:35:32,400 Speaker 3: They disappear, They disappear. 639 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:35,480 Speaker 2: Yeah that's true, Kate. Then they need to be held 640 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:38,440 Speaker 2: accountable for that. Let me take a quick at break 641 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:40,680 Speaker 2: and then I'll get more heasy to respond to some 642 00:35:40,800 --> 00:35:42,440 Speaker 2: of your calls. We've got whatsaps as well that have 643 00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:43,279 Speaker 2: come through as well. 644 00:35:43,640 --> 00:35:44,920 Speaker 1: Here well, Clement. 645 00:35:45,719 --> 00:35:48,840 Speaker 2: Seven two, let's walk for talk, all right, eight minutes 646 00:35:48,920 --> 00:35:53,719 Speaker 2: now before eleven o'clock. I'll get Morsy to have her 647 00:35:53,840 --> 00:35:55,640 Speaker 2: last words in a moment. But here's some of the 648 00:35:55,719 --> 00:35:57,120 Speaker 2: what's up voice notes that came through. 649 00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:03,759 Speaker 8: You know, I think I see really need to strategize 650 00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:06,480 Speaker 8: when it comes to marketing. When they have to market 651 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:10,440 Speaker 8: their their message. You know, I've never seen a key 652 00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:13,080 Speaker 8: holder with an ie C. I've never seen a stick 653 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:16,120 Speaker 8: on a fridge with an ie C. You know, if 654 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:19,040 Speaker 8: they really want this message to go abroad because talking 655 00:36:19,120 --> 00:36:21,360 Speaker 8: to them, you can go to this community outreach and 656 00:36:21,440 --> 00:36:25,040 Speaker 8: try to raise awareness and and try to meet up 657 00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:27,719 Speaker 8: the youth. But if you don't up your your your 658 00:36:28,040 --> 00:36:31,160 Speaker 8: marketing skills, it's not gonna happen. You know, I've seen 659 00:36:31,239 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 8: the post on social media, but I still don't think 660 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:36,680 Speaker 8: it's enough. I think they need to up their game 661 00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:39,560 Speaker 8: and to make sure that even on social media, not 662 00:36:39,719 --> 00:36:45,080 Speaker 8: on social media, but their technology improves, do not only talk, 663 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:47,960 Speaker 8: try to be part of the society. Like I was saying, 664 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:51,200 Speaker 8: I need a key holder, there is IEC. We need 665 00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:54,480 Speaker 8: body or body of water, there is ie C. The 666 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:57,960 Speaker 8: marketing strategy should should shift because they've been trying to 667 00:36:58,040 --> 00:37:00,120 Speaker 8: do this name over the ys they never went. So 668 00:37:00,520 --> 00:37:02,920 Speaker 8: they should just change their marketing strategic is fiser. 669 00:37:04,160 --> 00:37:06,800 Speaker 9: The only elections that I didn't vote it was in 670 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:11,239 Speaker 9: nineteen ninety four was harm But I think I'm not 671 00:37:11,360 --> 00:37:12,359 Speaker 9: gonna vote a king. 672 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:13,160 Speaker 1: You know. 673 00:37:13,360 --> 00:37:16,080 Speaker 9: Now for the first time, I come care with people 674 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:18,080 Speaker 9: that don't want. 675 00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:20,400 Speaker 3: To vote, because I mean, what are we voting for? 676 00:37:21,160 --> 00:37:22,080 Speaker 3: What are we voting for? 677 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 9: We're voting for corruption, We're voting for people who are 678 00:37:25,719 --> 00:37:30,280 Speaker 9: not serious with service delivery. I mean, like it's everywhere. 679 00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:32,520 Speaker 3: It's in each and every political party. 680 00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:36,320 Speaker 9: You get what is going on in Western the racism, 681 00:37:36,760 --> 00:37:41,319 Speaker 9: the inequality and everything else. The unemployment, the corruption within 682 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:46,080 Speaker 9: the police, you know, the the erucation system, the curriculum, 683 00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:48,920 Speaker 9: it's it's it's bad itself. What are we voting? What 684 00:37:49,040 --> 00:37:51,440 Speaker 9: are we voting for? I mean, for the first time, 685 00:37:51,520 --> 00:37:54,040 Speaker 9: let us just not vote all of us in South Africa. 686 00:37:54,120 --> 00:37:55,880 Speaker 9: Let's just sit and do nothing. 687 00:37:56,560 --> 00:37:56,840 Speaker 2: That's it. 688 00:37:57,000 --> 00:37:59,800 Speaker 9: Maybe we just need that dialogue and then talk about 689 00:38:00,120 --> 00:38:01,880 Speaker 9: is the next a couple. 690 00:38:01,719 --> 00:38:07,520 Speaker 3: Of intew idea is that the last word suppose. 691 00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:13,040 Speaker 10: I money implement. I'm one of the sixty eight percent 692 00:38:14,640 --> 00:38:18,680 Speaker 10: that doesn't have a confidence in now I You see, 693 00:38:20,680 --> 00:38:27,040 Speaker 10: we are told to register for voters all so if 694 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:32,320 Speaker 10: one hundred people have registered, for an example, to vote. 695 00:38:32,520 --> 00:38:34,880 Speaker 10: Why do you print one hundred and twenty one hundred 696 00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:39,080 Speaker 10: and fifty pillot papers? And we see pillot papers after 697 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:44,880 Speaker 10: every election. They are found in in in private cars 698 00:38:45,040 --> 00:38:50,640 Speaker 10: or in private properties. H How would you have confidence 699 00:38:50,719 --> 00:38:55,880 Speaker 10: in such institutions? And as long as votes are counted 700 00:38:57,120 --> 00:39:02,440 Speaker 10: at the polling stations and nothing will will go right, 701 00:39:03,000 --> 00:39:08,279 Speaker 10: nothing will go right? Thank you, Lebel from a report. Yeah, 702 00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:11,040 Speaker 10: you see, we've got a big problem. 703 00:39:11,520 --> 00:39:17,880 Speaker 1: Label, but Lebo, yes, if there's one hundred people registered 704 00:39:17,920 --> 00:39:20,360 Speaker 1: at a voting station, people make mistakes, Clement, and you 705 00:39:20,480 --> 00:39:22,520 Speaker 1: are allowed to ask for a new ballot, but it 706 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:25,520 Speaker 1: gets destroyed the one that you made a mistake on. 707 00:39:26,120 --> 00:39:29,279 Speaker 1: So people make mistakes. Even Label makes a mistake when 708 00:39:29,320 --> 00:39:31,600 Speaker 1: he's writing a note some way, you discard and you 709 00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:35,360 Speaker 1: get another one. So those are practical things. It's important 710 00:39:35,400 --> 00:39:38,880 Speaker 1: to counter voting stations as part of our transparency because 711 00:39:39,400 --> 00:39:43,520 Speaker 1: of the very peddling of this. We see ballots in 712 00:39:43,680 --> 00:39:46,280 Speaker 1: boots and all of that. So it's important to count 713 00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:49,320 Speaker 1: at a voting station so that when our material moves, 714 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:53,720 Speaker 1: it's already accounted for, it's already captured, and we already 715 00:39:53,800 --> 00:39:57,200 Speaker 1: know what the result is. We leave the result outside 716 00:39:57,239 --> 00:39:59,279 Speaker 1: the voting station, so that even as the public, you're 717 00:39:59,280 --> 00:40:01,920 Speaker 1: able to varyy by how voting went in there. So 718 00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:06,160 Speaker 1: and I would like for full Label to also as 719 00:40:06,200 --> 00:40:10,880 Speaker 1: well as Spiso, who's very discouraged, to maybe seek ways 720 00:40:11,280 --> 00:40:14,799 Speaker 1: other ways in which you know, he can get encouragement 721 00:40:14,960 --> 00:40:17,239 Speaker 1: and speak to other people who maybe still have a 722 00:40:17,360 --> 00:40:20,440 Speaker 1: very strong civic duty for voting and see if they can, 723 00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:23,759 Speaker 1: you know, turn his his his perceptions around, because I've 724 00:40:23,840 --> 00:40:26,799 Speaker 1: never seen anything change when people do nothing. I've never 725 00:40:26,880 --> 00:40:29,600 Speaker 1: seen it. You certain do nothing, and I don't think 726 00:40:29,640 --> 00:40:32,000 Speaker 1: that's what Spiso once. I don't think that's what Label wants. 727 00:40:32,160 --> 00:40:35,000 Speaker 1: They want something to happen, but they need to realize 728 00:40:35,040 --> 00:40:37,240 Speaker 1: that they need to be the ones that make it happen. 729 00:40:38,120 --> 00:40:42,000 Speaker 1: So that's very very important. Talking about keyholders, I wish 730 00:40:42,080 --> 00:40:45,760 Speaker 1: I had keyholders here, we've got keyholders, We've got bottles, 731 00:40:45,760 --> 00:40:48,680 Speaker 1: and in fact we call it advocacy material because it 732 00:40:48,880 --> 00:40:52,280 Speaker 1: carries messaging and it has our QR quote to register 733 00:40:52,360 --> 00:40:55,759 Speaker 1: to vote. Remember, we've got our online registration portal that 734 00:40:55,960 --> 00:40:59,200 Speaker 1: is functional twenty four to seven. It's even now more simplified. 735 00:40:59,239 --> 00:41:02,040 Speaker 1: It's keen and yet to use. So we encourage voters 736 00:41:02,080 --> 00:41:04,360 Speaker 1: to go and register online now. They don't have to 737 00:41:05,120 --> 00:41:08,279 Speaker 1: wait until registration weekend in June twenty to twenty one June. 738 00:41:08,600 --> 00:41:10,640 Speaker 1: They can do it right now on their phones. Within 739 00:41:10,719 --> 00:41:14,080 Speaker 1: five minutes they'll be done registering. So we do have 740 00:41:14,239 --> 00:41:18,120 Speaker 1: material that our officials carry with them at schools, tertiary 741 00:41:18,200 --> 00:41:21,399 Speaker 1: in communities that they give out. Obviously, you know we're 742 00:41:21,440 --> 00:41:26,400 Speaker 1: not you know, a commercial company that has millions of 743 00:41:26,480 --> 00:41:29,279 Speaker 1: these items, but definitely we have them. We make sure 744 00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:32,560 Speaker 1: they're as useful to whatever community we're giving it out to, 745 00:41:32,800 --> 00:41:37,760 Speaker 1: so lanyards for students or cardholders, bottles, pens, pencil cases 746 00:41:37,800 --> 00:41:40,800 Speaker 1: and rulers for school children. We've got a comic book 747 00:41:41,760 --> 00:41:46,239 Speaker 1: that we did thirty plus Years of Democracy, that will 748 00:41:46,320 --> 00:41:49,600 Speaker 1: be sending to and using at schools this year. So 749 00:41:49,719 --> 00:41:53,440 Speaker 1: we're constantly developing new material that is interesting that it 750 00:41:53,480 --> 00:41:58,000 Speaker 1: is easy to read, and it's also freely available on 751 00:41:58,080 --> 00:42:01,440 Speaker 1: our website, our website and our are blind. Go on 752 00:42:01,600 --> 00:42:05,799 Speaker 1: our platforms and you can get all sorts of simplified videos, animations, 753 00:42:05,880 --> 00:42:09,279 Speaker 1: fact sheets so that you can share credible information as 754 00:42:09,320 --> 00:42:10,400 Speaker 1: a responsible citizen. 755 00:42:10,520 --> 00:42:12,040 Speaker 2: In fact, I want to wrap up with this message 756 00:42:12,040 --> 00:42:14,600 Speaker 2: from Simon usas Clement, my son is telling twenty two 757 00:42:14,640 --> 00:42:17,400 Speaker 2: in June, and myself and my wife have been I 758 00:42:17,480 --> 00:42:19,959 Speaker 2: have been to vote with him ever since he was born. 759 00:42:20,160 --> 00:42:24,280 Speaker 2: Now that he's allowed to vote, he's voting because as parents, 760 00:42:24,440 --> 00:42:27,680 Speaker 2: we showed him how important voting is. So let's take 761 00:42:27,760 --> 00:42:32,760 Speaker 2: that responsibility seriously as well. Role models parents, role modeling ising. 762 00:42:33,280 --> 00:42:36,080 Speaker 3: Ma, thank you so much for joining us. Thank you 763 00:42:36,200 --> 00:42:37,120 Speaker 3: so much, speak a lot. 764 00:42:37,239 --> 00:42:41,080 Speaker 2: I think it's important that we have continuous engagements as 765 00:42:41,160 --> 00:42:44,160 Speaker 2: we try to get people to understand the importance of 766 00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:45,799 Speaker 2: what's coming up in a couple of months. 767 00:42:46,280 --> 00:42:48,520 Speaker 1: And if I make claim and just to encourage South 768 00:42:48,560 --> 00:42:52,160 Speaker 1: Africa's you know, research says that once young people, especially 769 00:42:52,320 --> 00:42:55,040 Speaker 1: this seventy nine percent that we still need to capture 770 00:42:55,040 --> 00:42:57,760 Speaker 1: in the eighteen two nineteen, once they register, they actually 771 00:42:57,840 --> 00:43:00,480 Speaker 1: turn out to vote, and once they vote, tend to 772 00:43:00,600 --> 00:43:03,400 Speaker 1: vote for the rest of their lifetime. So we need 773 00:43:03,480 --> 00:43:06,840 Speaker 1: to grow this cohort. If we capture this missing seventy 774 00:43:06,960 --> 00:43:10,720 Speaker 1: nine percent and ensure that they register ARASVP for the party, 775 00:43:10,800 --> 00:43:13,399 Speaker 1: the party is coming and if you can't rs VP, 776 00:43:13,520 --> 00:43:16,200 Speaker 1: then you won't be able to attend the party. So 777 00:43:16,320 --> 00:43:19,120 Speaker 1: thank of relations as a celebration of democracy, as a 778 00:43:19,239 --> 00:43:23,240 Speaker 1: celebration of your human right and sign up. Don't bench yourself, 779 00:43:23,320 --> 00:43:27,359 Speaker 1: don't sit it out. It's so important for making thank 780 00:43:27,400 --> 00:43:27,879 Speaker 1: you so much