The Electoral Commission reported that over 99% of the 23,148 voting stations opened on time.
OVER 3.5 million people had voted in the municipal elections by midday on Monday, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said.
The IEC reported that over 99% of the 23,148 voting stations opened on time.
“The commission commends South Africans for coming out, as they continue to, in huge numbers to vote.
“Many voting stations have reported strong turnout from early in the day, with many voters already waiting to vote before the 7am opening.
“We continue to urge registered voters to make their way to voting stations.”
There were some incidents, the IEC noted, which included:
- In KwaZulu-Natal, 20 voting stations did not open on time because of community protests. The stations were later reopened;
- A presiding officer in the eThekwini Metro in Durban was arrested after allegedly stuffing marked ballots into a ballot box;
- In the Eastern Cape, 19 voting stations did not open because of community protests. In all incidents, communities dug trenches to deny IEC staff and voters access to the voting stations. The commission, with the assistance of municipalities, was able to fill the trenches and the voting stations were expected to open later on Monday;
- In Limpopo, a hailstorm delayed the opening of voting stations in Giyani; and
- A Newzroom Afrika journalist was arrested at a voting station in Soweto. After the intervention of the commission the journalist was released and an investigation into the circumstances of his arrest will be instituted.
Voting will continue throughout the day until 9pm on Monday.
Voters who are at the voting station or in a queue at 9pm will be allowed to vote.
