More than 129 000 people will be casting their special votes in Gauteng. While more than 39 000 will be voting at home, a little over 90 000 will be casting their votes at a polling station. Voting kicked off to a smooth start at 8 am.
More than 39 000 special votes are expected to be cast in the province. 80-year-old Gogo Dolly Mlangeni was amongst the first in Soweto.
Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) officials were on hand to help her make her mark, which she hopes will help resolve some of the water and electricity woes in her area. Mlangeni says she hopes her vote leads to a positive change in the township.
“I am happy I got this opportunity; I applied got an sms that I was approved and they said they would come to my home. Electricity and water are a major problem for us.”
Special voting underway in Gauteng:
‘More than one million applications’
The IEC has this time approved a record number of special votes nationally, more than one million applications. IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo says that if you have applied to cast your special vote at home, you need to make sure you are at your address. “If IEC officials do not find you there, you will not be able to cast your special vote.”
Officers from the Johannesburg Metro Police Department have been deployed to voting stations across the city, to maintain law and order.
Special voting continues on Sunday. -Reporting by Chriselda Lewis and Sashin Naidoo
