The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) says it is optimistic that it will complete all the home visits during the special votes this weekend.
Home visits make up 54% of the province’s nearly 70 000 special votes.
“For every ten households we need to visit, there is a team of two. So we are quite positive that even in rural areas,- where houses are quite sparsely populated – we should be able to catch up with the 10 visits that the team of two is supposed to do. Luckily, as well in terms of the law, we are not limited in terms of the time of home visits, so they can work as far as they can go. As long as the sun is up, people can continue with the home visits but we are optimistic,” says Ntombifuthi Masinga, Provincial IEC Electoral Officer.
LGE 2021 | IEC highly satisfied with proceedings on Day 1 of special voting
Eight voting stations remain closed in KZN following threats by community members
On Saturday, Eight voting stations under the Mkhambathini Local Municipality, at uMgungundlovu district in KwaZulu-Natal, have not did not open.
This is due to threats received from certain community members.
The voting stations in wards 1, 2, 3 and 5 in the Mkhambathini Local Municipality were locked with padlocks.
Some community members at the Nyamvu area want their local Chief reinstated after he was recently removed.
#sabcnews #sabckzn A hand note in all eight voting stations making threats that those who will disobey the demands will face the consequences. This led to IEC staff feeling unsafe. pic.twitter.com/20zF9L58OA
— Nonkululeko Hlophe (@Leko3) October 30, 2021
LGE 2021 | IEC pleased with Day One of Special Voting: Sy Mamabolo
‘I have been voting in all elections, but nothing has changed’
As the IEC continues with special votes, some sick and elderly who voted in their own homes say though they have been voting since 1994,they are yet to get service delivery.
One of them is Zwakele Lamula from eNqulwane village, outside Ulundi in northern KZN. She stays alone in a dilapidated house and manages to put food on the table through handouts from his neighbours.
She says some of her neighbours in the village decided to illegally connect electricity after many years of being neglected.
“I have been voting in all elections, but nothing has changed. There is no help I get out of voting. I live in abject poverty, I don’t get a grant as I don’t have a small child, even the house is dilapidated if raining I sleep at the neighbours. I live through handouts from my neighbours,” says Lamula.
209 voting stations in KwaZulu-Natal will operate without electricity during this municipal election. The IEC in KZN says that a further 143 stations are without sanitation facilities. #sabcnews
— SAfm news (@SAfmnews) October 30, 2021
