Advertisement

Bishops in Southern Africa Unveil Voter Education Manual Ahead of 2024 Polls

Credit: SACBC

By Jude Atemanke

Johannesburg, 14 December, 2023 / 8:45 pm (ACI Africa).

The Justice and Peace Commission (JP) of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) has published a Voter Education Manual ahead of the general elections scheduled to take place in South Africa next year.

In the 18-page document issued Thursday, December 14, JP members said the manual is “intended to provide general information and guidance on the electoral process in South Africa.”

“Voter education plays a crucial role in ensuring effectiveness and integrity of democratic elections because it empowers citizens by providing them with the knowledge and understanding of their rights, responsibilities and electoral processes,” JP members explained.

They added that voter education also “enables individuals to make informed decisions.”

They noted that voter education initiatives can combat voter apathy and help increase voter turnout.

Advertisement

“When more people participate in elections, the legitimacy of the electoral outcomes is strengthened and ensures that the voices of all citizens are represented,” they added.

They said, “Voter education is a vital component of any democratic society. By providing citizens with the necessary knowledge and understanding of the electoral process, people are empowered to exercise their democratic rights and actively contribute to shaping the future of their country.”

The 18-page manual also highlights the Catholic Social Teaching concerning democracy and voting rights. 

In addition to the Voter Education Manual, the JP Commission has also published prayer intercessions in nine official languages and asked all people of God in South Africa to recite the prayers as the nation heads to the polls in 2024.

Jude Atemanke

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.

Trending

You may also like

With the incense burned from the newly blessed fire, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, incenses the "Stone of Anointing," located at the entrance of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, where, according to tradition, the body of Jesus was anointed and prepared with aromatic oils for burial. March 30, 2024. / Credit: Marinella Bandini

"The mother of all holy vigils": Jerusalem Basilica is First Place to Announce Easter

In the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, the church of the Lord’s resurrection, the Easter Vigil is held on Saturday...

Bishop Joseph Mary Kizito with Secretaries General, Coordinators of Justice and Peace commissions, and persons responsible for migrants and refugees from eight countries of the Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA). Credit: Brend Gwasira, programs Officer

Catholic Bishop in South Africa Calls for “joint advocacy” in Countering Xenophobia

Bishop Joseph Mary Kizito of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) has called for “joint advocacy” in countering xenophobic sentiments in South Africa.

Pope Francis greets a group of Ukrainian soldiers at the end of his weekly general audience on 23 May 2018 in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. Credit: Aleteia

Church Leaders in South Africa Support Pope Francis Offer to Mediate Russia-Ukraine War

Church leaders in South Africa have expressed their “full support” for Pope Francis’ offer to arbitrate for an end to...