Pretoria - Preparations for the country’s fifth democratic elections are firmly in place with the Free State and the Eastern Cape ready for the thousands of South Africans who are expected to cast their votes.
“We are generally ready for the elections in all respects,” Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Eastern Cape provincial electoral officer Thami Mraji said on Tuesday.
The province has 4 615 voting stations which will open to voters at 7am.
“In terms of the issue of hotspots as you have asked, we are working together with the South African Police Service (SAPS) in terms of SAPS providing security and an environment where elections can take place,” Mraji told SAnews.
This, as there have, been reported tensions in Sterkspruit in the province which has also been identified as one of the country's election hotspots.
“We’ve been working with stakeholders and communities in getting things sorted out. All efforts have been made to make sure that elections will take place,” he said.
A total 33 501 IEC staff, including presiding officers at the 4 615 stations, will be working on Election Day [Wednesday] in the province. “They have been trained and are ready to be deployed,” he added.
In the 2009 elections, the province experienced a shortage of ballot papers at some voting stations. “Sufficient ballots have been printed with additional ones having been printed too. This time we are prepared for that,” said Mraji
The province has 3.2 million registered voters.
At the start of the month State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele led a delegation of ministers in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster on a visit to the towns to encourage a peaceful climate ahead of the May 7 elections.
Free State province
In the Free State province, officials are ready for tomorrow’s polls.
“Everything is in order, all our materials have been delivered and the materials will be delivered to the voting stations. All our ducks are in a row,” Free State provincial electoral officer Chris Mepha said.
The province has not experienced incidents of criminality or intimidation related to the polls.
“There are no hotspots. I’m in close contact with the police who give me an update. Police have been trained, they are ready,” said Mepha.
The province has 1 523 voting stations and has a total 1.4 million registered voters.
There are sufficient ballots for tomorrow’s poll with additional ballots printed in case there are spoiled ballots.
Special votes, he said, were continuing. The casting of special votes will conclude at 5pm. - SAnews.gov.za
