South Africans came out in numbers to cast their votes in what is regarded as that country’s watershed elections where the ruling African National Congress (ANC) is hoping to fend off predictions that it could lose its three-decade-long exclusive grip on power.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of South Africa reported that by 11 am, a significant majority of the 27.7 million registered voters had cast ballots for both the national and provincial elections.
90 million ballot papers were printed for the polls.
IEC’s Deputy CEO of Electoral Operations, Masego Sheburi, stated there was a “smooth start to voting,” except for “menial incidences” caused by late delivery of ballot papers in Johannesburg and community protests in Eastern Cape.
The May 29, 2024 elections are South Africa’s seventh democratic general election, with the country having gone to the polls every five years since Nelson Mandela became president in 1994.
“We have indications of how many people had voted, however, the law precludes us from doing exit polls on Election Day and also, only results from valid votes are announced,” said Sheburi while giving an update to the media of the 2024 elections.
“We are unable to show voter turnout but we can say by 11 am, a significant majority of the 27.7 million people had voted. That accords to the history to now, where the majority of voters vote by 11 am in each election except the odd one was in 2021, where we had a spread of voters across the day.”
Sheburi said by 7 am, 93 percent of 23 292 voting stations reported opening both physically and online, and the remainder at which delayed opening within the hour.
“Unfortunately a number of voting stations opened late owing to delays on our material handling related to escort, as there was not enough security to escort material including protests in certain communities,” he said.
The Deputy CEO said at most voting stations queues had already formed before voting commenced, a testament of the enthusiasm of South Africans to record their political choice.
“The commission respects its obligation; each of the 27 million will receive the opportunity to record their choice before voting closes this evening,” Sheburi said.
Voting will close at 9 pm and all those votes in the queues will be assisted before voting ends.
“At 12, the election operations around the country were progressing with minimal incidences. We are dealing with some of the incidences being the late delivery of ballot papers in Johannesburg Region 3, that is Sandton Hyde Park, Dunkeld area as well as Roodepoort because of the strict instruction to delivery people were being innovative and in the process delayed the supply of voting material,” Sheburi said.
Sheburi said in the eastern cape, five voting stations were not open owing to community protests but the IEC now had confirmation, that working with the South African police, the voting stations were open.
“There were two in Ntabankulu, one in Winnie Mandela, one in Port Saint Johns and one in Nyandeni. Similarly, there were 20 voting stations which opened beyond 9 o’clock in the area of eThekwini as well as in Umuziwabantu owing to community protests. The station could not open even though our staff were ready to administer the electoral project,” said the Deputy CEO.
The Deputy CEO assured South African voters that adequate voting material including 90 million ballot papers for all three ballot types are available and every voter would be assisted to vote before voting stations close
“We use this opportunity to remind voters to vote at the voting station at which they are registered unless by 17 May 2024, they had given prenotification on the station at which they would vote.
A voter who had given pre-notification to vote elsewhere and finds themselves at their voting district that voter will be allowed to vote at that station,” Sheburi said.
Sheburi also confirmed that voting kicked off at various correctional centres to enable inmates who are registered to cast their votes in line with Section 24 B of South Africa’s Electoral Commission Act.
“We have just concluded a meeting with the national party liaison committee. Similarly, similar structures are convening at the provinces as well as municipalities made up of contesting parties and independents where we will receive reports and make follow-ups on issues raised,” he said.
Sheburi said the polling officers had undergone a modularised training of four days on logistics, electoral administration and administration of voting stations as well as the counting procedure.
“One ought to have received 80 percent of at least three leadership roles before being placed at the voting station,” said the Deputy CEO.
“After the close of voting, we count in the presence of party agents, ballots cast for special be introduced at the voting station and when the opportunity present verification of those special votes commences.
Sheburi said counting will be done in the presence of party agents and those representing independent candidates, who can raise objections to counting, tallying and sorting.
“Once done we will produce results slips in duplicate. Parties are allowed to take images, one image is left on the door or fence as a public announcement. The second result slip is transferred to the local site capture,” he said, noting that there would be no online transmission from voting stations to data centres.
“Results are captured in the presence of agents, independent auditors and the commission.”
