Bam's comparison with other established Western democracies is not an acceptable benchmark. South Africa's democracy is still very young and fragile, is overwhelmingly dominated by a single party, and Bam should know that established democracies around the globe are unhappy with their present levels of voter participation.  The Chairperson of an organisation which is the guardian of our elections should not be satisfied until every potential voter is keenly participating in our democracy.

 It is indeed worrying that the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is satisfied with the current registered voters as they are partly responsible for the dismal turnout at the voter registration stations. The South African public has also been led to believe that voter registration can only take place on the dates as highlighted by the IEC, leaving many despondent.  Very little has been done to advertise the fact that there are ongoing voter registration points countrywide, where people can register at their leisure throughout the year.