By: Natasha Archary

South African expatriate, Fikile Zungu has shared how she was denied her right to vote in the 2024 elections in Belgium, voicing her disappointment with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
Zungu who has been living in Belgium for 14-years, says she first went to the South African embassy in Belgium in January to check her voter registration status.
Taking her daughter with her to ensure they make their mark in the monumental National and Provincial 2024 elections, Zungu shares that she was initially told everything was in order with their registration.
However, on Saturday, 18 May the cook and author was turned away and not allowed to cast her vote, after being told she is registered to vote in South Africa and not Belgium.
“On 28 January, I took my daughter to register because it was the first time she would be voting, so I had to persuade her and explain why it’s important to vote even though we don’t live in South Africa anymore.
So, my daughter was registered and then with me they checked my status and I was registered and they said everything was okay.
On Saturday, I go to the embassy to vote and they check and tell me I’m not on the list, and I’m registered to vote in South Africa. I’m confused by this because the previous times I was voting here, I’m here in Belgium for 14-years.”
Fikile Zungu says she was treated differently to other South Africans who had the same problem and feels like she was turned away for personal reasons.
The IEC responded to Zungu’s emotional post by informing her that she was supposed to have applied for a Vec 10 notice if she would be voting out of the country.
According to the IEC this is a standard form that is required by every South African voting abroad.
I was denied my right to vote at the Embassy of South Africa in Belgium @IECSouthAfrica @PublicProtector @DIRCO_ZA @tokoxasa @PresidencyZA pic.twitter.com/sf3tjcQNQJ
— #fikz (@Fikz_the_Cook) May 21, 2024
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