Pretoria – The Electoral Commission (IEC) has reported that between 50% to 70% of home visits were completed yesterday with the remaining visits underway from early today.
IEC Chief Electoral Officer Mosotho Moepya said during a briefing on Tuesday that they were on track to complete special voting through home visits and at voting stations by 5pm today.
The IEC said the first two days of special voting have provided them with an opportunity to fine-tune operations and deal with any process and logistical issues.
Day two of the special votes, got off to a slow start this morning with voting hours set between 8am and 5pm.
Tuesday is the last day for the special votes ahead of Wednesday’s polls for the 2016 Local Government Elections.
Electoral officers at the voting stations in the Pretoria central area are waiting for those people who were granted permission to cast their special votes today.
At the voting station situated at the Caledon stadium, Presiding Officer Mapula Makate told SAnews that since the station opened this morning, only two people came to cast their votes.
According to Makate, six people came yesterday to cast their votes.
“We are now waiting for the remaining 25 people to come and cast their votes,” she said.
At Princess Park, three people had cast their votes yesterday. “We are waiting for the remaining two people to come and cast their votes,” said the Presiding Officer Makkie Serongwa.
At City Hall, the biggest voting station in the city, 37 people are expected to cast their votes. Eleven people had cast their votes yesterday, two came today and the remaining 24 are expected to cast their votes later today.
Presiding officer at the station, Sizwe Sbamba, told SAnews that the station opened on time at 8am and no problems were experienced so far.
“We are waiting for the remaining people to come,” he said.
At the Melody ya Tshwane voting station, three people came yesterday to cast their votes, while four came in this morning.
Presiding Officer Kgaugelo Masipa told SAnews that those who came in will not be able to make it on Wednesday because of the nature of their work.
“These … people who chose to vote today because of the nature of their work, will be working tomorrow,” she said.
On Monday, Electoral Commission (IEC) officials visited facilities for the elderly, hospitals and the homes of those who aren’t able to make their way to voting stations on Wednesday.
Selected voting stations have opened to enable those who applied for special votes to cast their ballots.
Delays were reported at some voting stations on the first day due to factors including the delivery of incorrect ballot papers, community protests and bad weather.
The IEC has approved a record 719 222 applications for special votes, which include 315 597 (44%) home visits and 403 625 (56%) votes to be cast at voting stations.
Government has declared Election Day as a national holiday to enable all eligible citizens to cast their vote.
Voting is a right and responsibility for all citizens and government is confident that South Africans will strengthen the country’s democracy by voting in large numbers.
Government has encouraged all South Africans to vote, especially young and first-time voters. – SAnews.gov.za
