South Africans living abroad temporarily during next year's general election will be allowed to vote, following an amendment to the Electoral Laws Amendment Bill. The Bill, passed by the Home Affairs Portfolio Committee in Parliament on Friday, would allow three categories of special votes: students, citizens temporarily out of the country such as holidaymakers and people abroad for business reasons. African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) home affairs spokesman Steve Swart welcomed the amendments. "From the time this Bill was tabled before the committee, the ACDP has advocated that such an amendment should be included, allowing all South African citizens to vote rather than limiting it to just government officials overseas," Swart said. He said he believed the amendment was brought about as a result of efforts by the ACDP in organising a petition for South Africans abroad to voice their concerns about their exclusion from the elections. According to the Bill which would now go before the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces for approval, the right to vote would be limited to those who have registered to vote in South Africa, have a residential address and an identity document but will exclude people who have emigrated or taken citizenship of other countries. © SAPA