Jub Jub Fumes After Being Denied the Right to Vote
Mzansi rapper and TV presenter Jub Jub was among many South Africans who faced frustrations during the general elections. On Wednesday, May 29, Jub Jub attempted to vote at a local polling station, only to be turned away because he was not registered there.

Jub Jub, who is the host of Moja Love’s reality TV show “Uyajola 9/9,” did not hide his anger. He took to his Instagram Stories to vent his frustration, stating, “. If you are out of town and travelling, you can’t vote in another town.” His posts continued with a foul-mouthed rant directed at the government.The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) explained that voters could only cast their ballots at their registered polling stations. For those travelling outside their registered district, the IEC advised applying for a Section 24A vote, which allows voting in a different district.

The IEC website clearly states that citizens “must notify the Electoral Commission by completing an online Section 24A form to inform us in which voting district you would like to vote on voting day. By capturing the address where you will be, the system will identify the relevant voting district.”

Jub Jub was not the only high-profile individual to experience voting issues. South African celebrity chef Fikile Zungu, known as Fikz, also shared her frustration after being denied the right to vote abroad in Belgium, where she currently resides. Fikz, who has a notable clientele including DJ Zinhle, works at the South African Embassy in Belgium and had registered to vote there.

However, on election day, Fikz was told she was not on the list of registered voters at the Belgian Embassy. She expressed her disappointment in a video posted on X, stating, “You told me I was registered…why am I not on the list?” Fikz also shared a screenshot of an official complaint she had filed with IEC Commissioner Glen Mashinini. In her complaint, she stated, “I find the Embassy’s actions as a gross injustice. [It is also] personal because the Embassy fired me three and a half years ago. Therefore, I feel that I am being sabotaged personally. The Embassy has never made any effort to find out what the problem was.”She added, “I sit here in tears…Why am I being punished…[by taking] away my democratic right?”

In response to Fikz’s tweet, the official account of the IEC South Africa asked if she had applied for a VEC10 notice, which is necessary to vote from abroad. Fikz replied, “No one told me about this…I don’t even know what it is.”

The incidents involving Jub Jub and Fikz highlight the challenges some South Africans face when trying to exercise their voting rights, especially when they are away from their registered districts. The IEC’s requirements and procedures are in place to ensure orderly voting, but these situations underscore the need for better communication and support for all citizens, regardless of their location.