Category: Key Issues

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

KWANOBUHLE – Police are on the hunt for more suspects allegedly involved in a shooting incident which left three people dead yesterday afternoon, 30 October 2021, in Kwanobuhle.

It is alleged that at about 14:50, police were alerted to the shooting at a tavern in Jongilanga Street in Kwanobuhle. It is further alleged that about six suspects entered the tavern and opened fire at the patrons. Three males aged between 25-35 years old were fatally wounded. The suspects then drove off in a Quantum taxi.

SAPS Kwanobuhle police officials who were oblivious of the incident at the time were patrolling when the Quantum drove by in Mango Road and opened fire at the officials. No one was injured and the Quantum drove off.

Backup was requested and an intensive search for the suspects was launched. As police were driving in Jafta Street, they noticed a group of about six males walking with firearms. The officers immediately gave chase and with the assistance of metro police officials they successfully apprehended two suspects (aged 25 and 32). Three 9mm firearms and ammunition were also seized. The two suspects were detained on charges of possession of prohibited firearms, illegal possession of ammunition and attempted murder. The serial numbers of the firearms were filed off. Detectives will be probing a possible link to the murders.

The names of the deceased persons will be released after a formal identification is done on Tuesday, 02 November 2021.

The Provincial Organized Crime Investigation in Gqeberha are investigating three counts of murder and two cases of attempted murder.

The firearms will be sent for ballistic testing.

The search for the outstanding suspects are continuing and detectives are following up on all possible leads. The motive for the senseless murders is yet to be established. Police investigations continue.

Anyone who has information that can assist police in their investigation in tracking and tracing the suspects is asked to contact Provincial Organized Crime Investigation, Detective Warrant Officer John Lourens on 071 352 4706 or Crime Stop 08600 10111 or their nearest police station. All information is confidential and callers may remain anonymous.

Source: South African Police Service

BLOEMFONTEIN – Two men will soon appear in court for a business burglary after being caught in the act by members of the Bloemfontein K9 Unit.

K9 Unit members, Sergeants Seppie September and Lorthiam Campbell were patrolling in the area of Heidedal in Bloemfontein on Saturday, 30 October 2021, when they received information about a burglary in progress at a business premises. They followed up on the information and caught two suspects in the act with the stolen property.

Members recovered an industrial compressor, pallet jack, aluminium window panes and other building material to an estimated value of R60 000. The two suspects aged 17 and 33 will appear in court on Tuesday, 02 November 2021.

Source: South African Police Service

BLOEMFONTEIN – The police at Mangaung Police Station seek assistance from the public to find a missing man, 26-year-old Zwelinzima Wayiza from Simunda Street in Rocklands near Bloemfontein. He was last seen in the morning on Thursday, 28 October 2021, when he left home for work.

Zwelinzima is employed by Cash Crusaders at Southern Centre in Fitchardtpark. When he left home, he was wearing a blue T-shirt, dark blue pair of jeans and black sneakers.

Any member of the public has information that can help the police to find Zwelinzima is requested to contact Sergeant Dimakatso Mgcina at 072 416 8348, Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or submit information through the My SAPS App.

Source: South African Police Service

POTCHEFSTROOM – Three suspects, a female, aged 32 and two males (both aged 27) were arrested in Orkney on Saturday morning, 30 October 2021, after close to 40kg of dagga was found in the boot of their vehicle. They will be appearing before the Orkney Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 02 November 2021 on a charge of dealing in dagga.

It is alleged that the trio were stopped at a roadblock on the R30 road, between Orkney and the Vaal River (towards Bothaville). Whilst searching the vehicle, a total of 15 black bags containing 39,1 kg dagga with estimated street value of R117 300.00 were found in the boot of their vehicle. They were immediately arrested for dealing in dagga.

The Provincial Commissioner applauded the Illicit Mining Task Team for their vigilance and hard work that led to this success.

Source: South African Police Service

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says it is satisfied with the first day of special voting in the country, despite reports of protests at some voting stations and other challenges.

The special votes are being cast at voting stations and through home visits throughout the country.

Over a million eligible South Africans registered for special votes, which will close on Sunday evening.

“Given the record scale of the 2021 Municipal Elections, the Electoral Commission is highly satisfied with the start of special voting. Besides offering voters who cannot vote at the voting stations on [Monday] an opportunity to participate, special votes also provide the commission with an opportunity to identify and resolve any challenges ahead of the election,” Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said on Saturday.

Mamabolo reported that at least eight voting stations could not open in KwaZulu-Natal, where community members were protesting.

He said although protesting remains a right, communities should not to interfere with the right of others to cast their ballots.

“Those voting stations have to open and will open because there are people in those communities who have applied for special votes and those people are entitled – like all citizens – a right to participate in the elections.

“Working together with the security agencies, we should be able to get voting going in those areas,” he said.

In another snag to the commission’s operations, some landlords where IEC operations are being housed reneged on their contracts with the commission, causing a delay in the opening of voting stations.

Mamabolo said this would be given attention but no legal action will be taken.

“The important thing and our primary focus at the moment is to get operations going, and to get alternatives so that we are not disrupted. It’s an isolated incident and our focus is to re-establish operations and to get going with electoral operations,” he said.

Election Day voter turnout

Turning to the issue of voter turnout on Monday, considering that it is a long weekend in the country, Mamabolo appealed to South Africans to turn up in their numbers at polling stations to exercise their civic duty.

“This may be a long weekend and people may have travelled. Our call is that if you have travelled, please do come back to your voting station on time because you won’t be able to vote anywhere else than in the voting district that you are registered.

“We want to encourage them to come back and take advantage of the facilities that we have availed for them to take part in shaping the local affairs of their communities,” he said.

Results Operations Centre

On Saturday evening, the IEC’s Results Operations Centre was evacuated following a loss of electrical power at the centre.

The commission confirmed the incident but denied reports that a fire had broken out.

“We confirm a power failure at the National Results Operations Centre in Tshwane this evening as a result of a faulty transformer. The centre was evacuated for safety, with emergency services on standby. There are no ballots or election materials on site,” the commission said.

The centre was reopened on Sunday morning.

Source: South African Government News Agency