Day: November 1, 2021

Over eight million South Africans had cast their votes at 23 148 voting stations as at 5pm, the Electoral Commission (IEC) said on Monday.

Giving an update on the progress on Election Day of the 2021 Local Government Elections, less than an hour before the polling stations closed at 9pm, IEC Commissioner, Dr Nomusa Masuku, said the Commission has noted reports from Commission’s call centre regarding some registered voters who couldn’t find their names on the voters’ roll.

Masuku said the voters’ roll has been updated and the Commission is attending and responding to complaints, as they are raised, and continues to communicate with the affected voters.

Masuku also reported that investigations have been conducted into the reported shortage of ballot papers in several voting districts.

“As pointed out earlier, there should be no shortage because the Commission procured 100% of the ballots needed. We are happy to report that the shortages from distribution issues have been resolved and the Commission continues to monitor voting station performance in this regard.

“The Commission also reassures voters that sufficient Universal Ballot Templates (UBTs) have been procured and there should not be shortages. Voters are encouraged to report shortages when experienced,” she said.

Masuku said the Commission, together with the South African National Council for the Blind, developed the UBT to assist persons with disabilities and special needs to have an independent and secret vote during elections.

Protests

Masuku said all 20 voting stations, which did not open in KwaZulu-Natal due to community protests, including 19 voting stations that did not open in the Eastern Cape due to civil unrest, were subsequently opened and were processing votes.

“The Commission has fixed tents that had been blown away by strong winds in the Free State and Northern Cape,” said Masuku.

She reiterated that voting will continue throughout until 9pm when voting stations close, and voters who are at the voting station or in a queue at the closing time, will be allowed to vote.

“Voters must have their ID documents with them and are reminded that each ballot paper must be stamped on the reverse. Voters are also reminded that it is prohibited to take a photograph of a marked ballot paper. This is essential to protect the secrecy and integrity of their vote.

“After voting stations close at 9pm and voters in the queues have voted, counting will begin. The first results are expected after midnight,” Masuku said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Electoral Commission in KwaZulu-Natal says despite the minor logistical problems experienced in some voting stations earlier today, at least 80% of voting stations opened on time, with 1 263 352 (or 23%) voters having cast their ballot by 4pm.

The Commission said a few voting stations opened late for a number of reasons, including a dispute regarding traditional leadership at KwaNyavu in Mkhambathini Municipality reported on Sunday, where voting station officers were not comfortable working at the voting station because they reside in the area and were receiving threats which made them feel unsafe.

“To resolve the situation, the IEC swapped staff around by sourcing personnel that resides outside the area to conduct voting station operations. Road blockages were also experienced in Ward 15 in Jozini Municipality. The South African Police Service (SAPS), together with the municipality, assisted with clearing the roads. The last voting station to open in the ward was Ludaka Primary School at about 9am,” the Commission reported.

Road closures were also experienced in uThukela region. However, they were cleared by SAPS members. In KwaMaphumulo Ward 3 (Elungeni Primary School), gates to the voting station were locked by the community.

“SAPS were able to break the lock to gain access. We have received reports that in some voting stations, presiding officers were not allowing voters to go through the process until they were successfully scanned through the Voter Management Devices (VMDs). That has been addressed through the bulk SMS facility.

“There was also a voting station that was broken into overnight in eThekwini Metro Ward 14. Voting station officers had left the voting station prepared for today. Everything was vandalised, however, it was only bulk material, which is voting compartments, ballot boxes and tables,” the Commission said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

National Assembly Deputy Speaker, Lechesa Tsenoli, says participating in elections is an act of defence for democracy.

Millions of South Africans have taken to the polls today to make their mark in the 2021 Local Government Elections.

Tsenoli said not participating in elections is to allow the “wrong practices to take root in our absence (sic)”.

“As angry and disappointed we may be in certain respects, we must nevertheless exercise our right to vote; and to visibly, practically show our preference for democratic decision-making… To defend democracy, deepen it and literally advance it is an act of deep revolutionary duty for all of us,” he said on Monday.

He said democratic processes like voting are a manifestation of the Constitution, which require that new leaders to be elected every five years.

“When we each go to vote, whatever our status, we reinforce the principle of equality in key local decision making responsibility,” Tsenoli said.

The Deputy Speaker praised the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) for its work in carrying out the elections, including special votes that were cast over the weekend.

“We know already the IEC officials have visited voters in their homes, who could not travel to voting stations. We commend them for this crucial task in support of democracy. This body is one of the structures created to support democracy as required by the Constitution.

“When we also turn out in our numbers to deepen this culture [of voting], we consolidate a key responsibility to realise our vision of a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous society.”

Tsenoli said councillors and municipal officials must consult the communities they serve “regularly on matters” when local government elections have come and gone.

“[W]hen that happens properly [and] regularly, we ensure that both the representative and participatory requirements of the Constitution are implemented…” he said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Police vigilance is expected to be heightened as the sun begins to set on voting day in South Africa.

This as polls in this year’s Local Government Elections are expected to close at 9pm across the country.

National Police spokesperson, Brigadier Vish Naidoo, said officers would not be dropping their guard.

“Our deployments are informed by the three categorisations: the low, medium, to high risk areas. But the risk becomes even greater as the sun sets. It’s part of our risk planning approach. Members are being readied for the night shift,” he said.

Naidoo said apart from a few incidents slowing down voting processes in some areas, the day has been a safe one.

“There have been minor glitches taking place, which caused slight disruptions to the voting process but nothing significant that it would warrant or cause for the entire process to be brought into question,” he said.

Naidoo said some incidents of note throughout the day include:

The arrest and subsequent release of a journalist reporting from a voting station in Soweto.

Prominent politician Helen Zille opening a case of assault against a police official after an incident at a voting station in Bethelsdorp, Eastern Cape.

A KZN IEC official was arrested for allegedly stuffing marked ballot papers into the ballot box.

Disruptions at a polling station in the Alfred Nzo District in the Eastern Cape which slowed down voting.

In Bizana, also in the Eastern Cape, there were road closures during a protest, which were removed by police, with voting allowed to continue.

A 49-year-old Mamelodi man attempted to cast more votes than he was allowed to do and was subsequently arrested.

“Apart from that, there were other incidents where people were complaining that placards were being destroyed or replaced by other political parties’ placards, there were confrontations between political party representatives with charges and counter-charges opened against each other.

“But otherwise, all in all, 95% to 99%, things have been running quite smoothly,” Naidoo said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has expressed satisfaction at the progress of the 2021 Local Government Elections.

This as 3.5 million votes were cast by 12.30pm on Election Day on 1 November.

This was despite a handful of voting station operations being hampered by inclement weather, community protests and power outages, as well as others opening late.

This was on Monday revealed by IE chairperson, Glen Mashinini, during a press briefing on the progress of the 2021 Local Government Elections. He expressed satisfaction at how the polls were progressing.

By 12.30pm, 99% of the 23 148 voting stations had opened without incident.

“Many voting stations have reported a strong turnout from early in the day, with many voters already waiting to vote before the 7am opening. We continue to urge registered voters to make their way to voting stations.”

In general, Mashinini said, voting was progressing well across the country. In addition, logistical arrangements, as well as the voter management devices, are holding up well.

“As at 12.30pm, over 3.5 million voters had already voted. We are able to report this because of the use of the voter management devices. The Commission is therefore satisfied with the voting process. As with any event of this magnitude involving 23 000 service points, there have been incidents which have been reported,” said Mashinini.

Among these were 20 voting stations that did not open on time due to community protests in Camperdown and Mdlothi in KwaZulu-Natal.

With assistance from security services, the stations have since opened.

Earlier, a presiding officer was arrested in the eThekwini Metro after allegedly stuffing marked ballots into a ballot box. The matter is now being investigated by the police.

In the Eastern Cape, 19 voting stations also did not open on time due to community protests.

“In all incidents, communities dug trenches to deny Commission staff and voters access to the voting stations. The Commission, with the assistance of municipalities, was able fill the trenches and anticipates that the voting stations will be open later today,” said Mashinini.

In Limpopo, a hailstorm delayed the opening of voting stations in Giyani.

While there was no load shedding, disruptions in power supply interrupted voting in some parts of Limpopo and the Northern Cape.

In Modimolle, Limpopo, an accredited observer was asked to leave a voting station for wearing a political party t-shirt. A process to withdraw the observer’s accreditation was initiated.

In Moretele, North West, a member of a political party was arrested after he interrupted the voting process. In Taung, in the same province, the Commission had to lay charges against a presiding officer after he opened a ballot box that had been sealed.

The IEC expressed regret at the arrest of a Newzroom Afrika journalist at a voting station in Soweto.

“After the intervention of the Commission, the journalist has been released and an investigation into the circumstances of his arrest will be instituted,” said Mashinini.

He also confirmed reports of isolated cases where voters were stopped from entering voting stations by election staff for wearing political party clothing and regalia. Mashinini clarified that this should have not happened, saying only party agents were prohibited from this.

The IEC reiterated that while voting stations would close at 9pm, voters who were at the voting station or in a queue at the time would be allowed to vote.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Eligible and registered South Africans are heading to the polls this morning in the Local Government Elections, to choose who will represent them in 257 municipal councils, across the country.

Voting stations are expected to open at 7am and will close at 9pm with more than 83% of special votes already cast over the weekend.

Some 26 million South Africans are registered to make their mark in the elections which will be cast at more than 23 000 Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) polling stations.

Voters in metropolitan municipalities will receive two ballot papers – one for their ward candidate and another for their political party.

In local municipalities, voters will receive a third ballot paper to select representatives for their District councils.

The voter’s roll has a more youthful look this year with those aged between the ages of 20 and 39 accounting for 41% of the roll.

The IEC has said these elections will be the most contested in history with more than 95 000 candidates staking their place in the ballots.

Briefing the nation on Sunday, IEC Chairperson Glen Mashinini said preparations for these elections had been completed under difficult circumstances but the commission is ready to welcome South Africans to the polls.

“The commission is confident that all preparations are in place for us to achieve free, fair and, in the context of COVID-19, safe elections in our 2021 municipal elections. The commission is further satisfied that it has done everything in its powers to prepare for these elections which are highly contested given the number of candidates and parties which are contesting,” he said.

Last week, Mashinini insisted that transparency in these elections is critical and the integrity of the results would be secured from vote rigging.

“Transparency in our counting of results system…provides all the stakeholders with the necessary confidence that the results cannot be rigged.

“We would like to reiterate that we do have the measures in place. Some of these measures include the capturing and verification of results at each voting station by officials and party agents as well as posting those results at the door of the voting station. There is no way a commissioner or anybody can change the result,” he said.

Security

Police Minister Bheki Cele said on Sunday that police would be working closely with the IEC to ensure that no disruptions at polling stations due to protests and instructed police to “protect the voting stations and help the IEC to make sure that [voting] stations are opened”.

10 000 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members have been deployed and are expected to protect infrastructure such as ports, national key points, national roads and power stations.

Last week, Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise said all safety and security measures were in place to secure the elections.

“Over and above the physical deployments of SAPS officers at voting districts, reserve forces from the police are on standby to provide additional assistance should the need arise in and around the identified hotspot areas.

“To this end, security measures have been put in place to ensure the safety and security of voters, IEC officials, role-players, equipment, resources, voting stations and the general public,” she said.

COVID-19

This year’s elections are being held as the country continues to battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to IEC Chairperson Glen Mashinini, non-pharmaceutical protocols will be followed at voting stations.

“Voting stations will be safe because…electoral staff will be provided with the necessary personal protective equipment to minimise the risk of contagion or spreading of the virus. Acceptable methods to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will be enforced [such as] maintaining social distancing by observing a distance of at least a metre and a half [and] sanitizing touch surfaces frequently,” he said.

The national Health Department as well as Gauteng Health Department is expected to have pop up vaccination sites near at least 1000 voting stations.

Source: South African Government News Agency