The Electoral Commission in Limpopo has warned political parties to refrain from registering non-qualifying voters for special vote home visits as this takes resources away from those who actually qualify.
Applications for special voting in the Local Government Elections close on Monday at 5pm.
The commission says it has recorded more than 20 000 applications for home visits in the province and found some to be proxy applications by political leaders for un-qualifying residents.
Sixty-nine political parties that are contesting in Limpopo pledged their commitment to the IEC’s code of conduct at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
Limpopo’s electoral officer, Nkaro Mateta, says they have been contacting some of the voters whose home visit applications they received, only to learn that most are not even aware of the application.
“By last night we had recorded 53 138 applications for special votes and of these over 20 000 are already approved for home visits. Political parties are warned not to abuse this facility as it’s an expensive project to execute particularly where proxy applications are submitted and the affected voters might not even be aware that such applications have been made on their behalf.”
Who qualifies for a special vote
Special vote applications should be made by voters who will not be able to cast their votes on the first of November at their voting station by virtue of being at work such as police, nurses, doctors and members of the media.
Voters who are not able to travel to the voting stations because of physical infirmity or disability should also apply.
Eligible voters, who are unable to travel to the voting station and have successfully applied for a special vote, will be visited at their places of residence or confinement on 30 or 31 October 2021.
Special voting takes place on the two days preceding Election Day. Voters may apply online at www.elections.org.za, via SMS by sending their ID number to 32249 or in person at their local Municipal Electoral Office.
