The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Chairperson, Glen Mashinini says over 99% of voting stations opened on time – with 3.5 million people having already voted by midday. He was providing an update on the progress of Election Day.
The IEC has reminded voters that taking photographs of marked ballot papers is prohibited. Voting, in the 2021 local government elections, is continuing across the country.
“The voters must have their ID documents with them and they are reminded that each ballot paper must be stamped on the reverse. Please make sure that you check your ballot paper if it has been stamped at the back. The voters are reminded that it is prohibited to take photographs of a marked ballot paper. This is really essential to protect the secrecy and integrity of the vote,” says Glen Mashinini.
Problems that have been noted by the IEC are an alleged attempt at ballot stuffing by a presiding officer in Ethekwini Metro who has subsequently been reported to the police. The IEC also says it is encouraged by the strong turnout at voting stations early in the day with many voters already waiting before the seven am opening.
IEC media briefing at 13H00:
‘Voter Management Devices working well’
The IEC has assured the public that its Voter Management Devices are working well in the main. This is after there were glitches experienced at a number of voting stations. The VMDs are being used for the first time in this election, having replaced the ZIP ZIP machines that have been for the last twenty years.
The devices allow for voter registration, instantaneous citizenship verification and the correct capturing of a residential address. 40 thousand have been acquired by the IEC at a cost of just over 500 million rands.
IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo says, “Our sense of the VMD is that it is functioning well and holding up well there are 29 thousand of them which are in use as we speak and a substantial amount of them are holding up well there have been very few no more than 10 to be precise which have given technical glitches otherwise 29 thousand of them are connected and functioning well.”
Outcome of IEC’s briefing on election progress: Ongama Mtimka
Ballot stuffing
Problems that have been noted by the Commission are an alleged attempt at ballot stuffing by a presiding officer in Ethekwini Metro who has subsequently been reported to the police.
The Commission also says it is encouraged by the strong turnout at voting stations early in the day with many voters already waiting before the seven am opening.
