BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE– Registered and ready to vote!
The number of people registered for the Local Government Elections for Manzini and Mbabane is over 20 000.
The number of people registered before the closing date made a significant jump from 4 107 people, in Manzini, to 5 157. In Mbabane, the figures jumped from 4 361 to 4 957.
The general population living in various towns is around 130 000 in Mbabane, while in Manzini it was at 60 000.
The registration exercise was moving at a snail’s pace in municipalities. The numbers were revealed by the Government Elections Co-ordinator, Melusi Hlanze.
Hlanze said the number of people who had registered to date in the 12 towns now totaled 22 377. Registration began on January 16, 2023, and was closed on March 10, 2023. Initially, the closing date was February 24, 2023, but was later extended.
Registration dates were shifted due to various reasons which included that the voter education process was said to be slow, adding that some wards had not been reached. The total 22 377 According to Hlandze, there were 1917 citizens registered in Pigg’s Peak, 3 244 in Nhlangano, 1 317 in Siteki and 1 254 in Malkerns. In Hlathikulu there were 1 163 who registered for the elections, 588 in Lavumisa, and 966 in Ngwenya, 892 in Mankayane, 626 in Matsapha and 242 in Ezulwini. He said Hlathikulu, Nhlangano, Pigg’s Peak, Siteki, Ngwenya and Mankayane were above the threshold, adding that more than 50 percent of the population had registered.
