National Results Operations Centre,
Tshwane – All voting stations have closed, marking the end of the two-day
special voting in the 2021 Local Government Elections.
The Electoral Commission extends its
heartfelt gratitude to South Africans who registered for and cast special votes
in 21 974 voting stations and homes over the past two days. As at 16h00,
502 837 of the 602 780 (83%) persons approved to vote by special vote
at their voting stations had voted. Similarly, by the conclusion of the day we
would have visited every voter who had been approved for a home visit.
While the Commission is pleased with
the turnout over the past two days, it wishes to point out that voters who were
unable to cast a special vote for whatever reason, may still vote at their
voting stations tomorrow – Election Day.
The
two days of special votes have afforded the Commission insights that will be
used to further refine operations to positively impact on voter experience. The Commission urges
all 26.2 million eligible voters to go out and cast their votes tomorrow. The
network of 23 148 voting stations will open for voting at 07h00 and close
at 21h00. It is important to emphasise that eligible voters who are at the
voting station at 21h00 will not be turned away.
The
Commission wishes to remind all eligible voters that:
- Voters
must vote where they are registered. In local government elections, you may
only vote at the voting station where you are registered.
- Voters
must be in possession of a valid South African identity document. Home Affairs
offices are open tomorrow to allow voters to collect ID documents as well as
apply for temporary identification certificates.
- Each
voter in a metropolitan municipality will receive two ballot papers – one for
their ward candidate and one for a political party. Voters in local
municipalities will receive a third ballot paper for the district council.
- Each
ballot paper must be stamped on the reverse to indicate the authenticity of the
ballot during the counting process.
- It is
prohibited for a voter to take a photograph of their marked ballot paper. This
arrangement is necessary to protect the secrecy of the choice of voters.
The Commission reassures voters that voting
stations will be safe because the following protocols are in place:
- The Commission will ensure compliance with COVID-19
protocols within the boundaries of the voting stations.
- Electoral staff will be provided with the necessary
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to minimise the risk of contagion or
spreading of the virus. PPE will include the following:
- Face masks
- Disposable sanitizer wipes
- Hand sanitising liquids
- Disposable litterbins with lids.
The
following acceptable methods to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will be
enforced:
- Maintaining social distancing by observing
distance of at least 1,5 meters away from other persons.
- Sanitising frequently touched surfaces.
- Pens will be provided and disinfected after
each use. However, voters are encouraged, should they wish to do so because of
Covid-19, to bring their own pens.
The South African Weather Service advises that
we should expect bad weather in some parts of our country. The necessary steps
have been taken to manage the potential negative effect of the inclement
weather on the voting and counting processes. In cases where tents are blown
away, the Commission has plans in place to have them re-erected as speedily as
possible.
Preparations for this elections have been
undertaken within a truncated election time table of 42 days. Traditionally and
hitherto, the Commission operated on a timetable of 82 days on average from the
date of proclamation to enable proper planning for elections. This has not been
possible in respect of these elections.
Additionally, the elections were proclaimed on
20 September 2021 by the Minister responsible for Cooperative Governance and
Traditional Affairs. This was just a day following the voter registration
weekend. In the circumstances there were voters whose registration details
could not be captured or updated before the voters’ roll was certified for use
in this election. There are approximately 140 000 such voters.
In order to ensure their participation, these
voters will be permitted to vote as though their details were on the voters
roll segment of the voting district in which they present themselves. This
arrangement is authorised in terms of section 7(2) of the Municipal Electoral Act,
which allows for a voter to be allowed to vote on presenting proof that they
had applied for registration before the proclamation of an election. Competent
proof for facilitating the participation of these voters is the pre-approved
MEC 7 lists compiled by the Commission.
The Commission is confident that all
preparations are in place for free,
fair and in the context of Covid-19 safe 2021 Municipal Elections. It is satisfied that it has done everything in its
power to prepare for these elections, which are highly contested given the
number of candidates and contesting parties.
A key aspect of our preparations
included engaging with stakeholders. This includes political parties and
candidates, the media, security and government structures at all levels, civil
society organizations, community organizations and the voters of South Africa.
It is time now for all of us to work together to ensure that these elections
are free, fair, safe and that the outcome reflects the will of South African
electorate.
Our clarion call to all South
Africans is let’s go out and vindicate our democratic right to vote.