Voting in the 2024 National and Provincial Elections got off to a steady start with 93% of voting stations reported to have opened at 7am yesterday, according to SAnews.
The Electoral Commission’s Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, Masego Sheburi said all IEC trained staff members reported for duty and started welcoming the first of the 26 million eligible voters at 7am at the 23 292 voting stations across the country. “In most stations, queues had formed even before the stations opened. This is testament to the enthusiasm of South Africans to record their political choices,” Sheburi said at a media briefing held at the National Results Operational Centre (ROC) in Midrand.
Sheburi also noted that there was a delay in the opening some voting stations. This was mostly in Johannesburg due to the late delivery of materials, delayed escorts by security services, or protests by certain community members.
Five voting stations in the Eastern Cape also did not open on time due to community protests.
However, at midday, election operations around the country reported good progress with minimal incidents reported.
The Commission assured voters that adequate supplies of all materials, including more than 90 million ballot papers, are available, and every voter will be assisted to vote.
The Commission also urged voters in the queues to be patient, as traditionally, voting queues peak early as voters often seek to vote first thing in the day.
“Where there were difficulties with our voter management device, instructions were issued for voting to proceed on the manual voters’ roll. We also remind voters of the cardinal rule in the NPE2024 [National and Provincial Elections 2024], to vote where you are registered.
“Also, once in the voting station and presented with ballot papers, remember to make one mark on one ballot.”
Sheburi also reported that voting kicked off in the morning at correctional facilities across the country to allow inmates to cast their votes.
