Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) CEO, Sy Mamabolo has urged voters to return to their voting districts by 5PM on Sunday if they have travelled and ensure that they cast their vote.
He has expressed concern about voter turnout in the special voting process this weekend.
Mamabolo was responding to a question. He was asked about the fact that many people had treated the weekend as a long one and possibly travelled.
“If you have travelled, please do come back to your voting station on time because you won’t be able to vote anywhere else but the voting district where you are registered unlike in national and provincial elections where you will have an opportunity to vote outside of your district. So all those who may have travelled have until tomorrow really to travel back to the place where they are registered,” says Mamabolo.
IEC media briefing on Day 1 of the special votes in SA
Tselane expects lower voter turnout on Monday
Executive Chair of the Institute of Election Management Services in Africa, Terry Tselane has predicted a low turnout on election day on Monday.
Tselane says people are going to treat the day as a long weekend and travel to different places which would be out of their voting districts.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has kicked off with special votes on Saturday. Gauteng registered over 129 000 applications for special votes at voting stations and through home visits.
Tselane says a different day should have been chosen such as a Wednesday.
“It is likely slightly lower. Once you put the election day on a Monday people take sometimes Friday off knowing that they’ve got now a long weekend where they don’t have to go to work on Monday and it has an impact. Does have a
Election Specialist and Political Analyst Terry Tselane speaks about LGE 2021
