Cape Town:Special voting for the 2026 Local Government Elections commenced positively on Monday, with the Electoral Commission (IEC) reporting that nearly all voting stations opened on time. Masego Shiburi, the Deputy Chief Electoral Commissioner, stated that approximately 99% of stations were operational by 8 am.
According to South African Government News Agency, voting in the City of Cape Town started at a slower pace, with only 10 out of 116 wards open for special votes by 1030 am. Efforts were being made to open the remaining stations. During a media briefing at the Results Operation Centre in Midrand, Shiburi noted that voters were generally being assisted smoothly, thanks to handheld barcode scanners linked to Voter Management Devices.
The IEC also reported two serious incidents involving election officials. In the uKhahlamba district, a Deputy Presiding Officer was hospitalized after being hit by a car en route to a voting station. Additionally, a Presiding Officer in the North West collapsed and died at her post. The IEC expressed its support for the affected officials and their families.
Despite these events, the IEC maintained a strong performance across the country and anticipated further improvements on the second day of special voting. Voters approved for special voting must cast their ballots at their registered stations and present valid South African identity documents.
Voting stations will remain open until 5 pm on Monday and Tuesday. If all approved voters have been served, a station may close after the first day but will reopen for ordinary voting on 4 November. The IEC urged voters to verify their voting station details and sequence numbers before leaving home through various channels, including WhatsApp, the IEC Contact Centre, SMS, and the IEC's website.
Shiburi extended gratitude to voters, election officials, and stakeholders for ensuring a smooth start to the special voting process and encouraged ongoing support for a peaceful and credible electoral process.