JOHANNESBURG - The Electoral Commission is racing to complete the reprinting of millions of ballots ahead of next week’s Local Government Elections.
Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo says the commission aims to have all ballots ready by Friday, following a Constitutional Court ruling in favour of the African National Congress (ANC).
The court ruling came after the party challenged the exclusion of some of its candidates whose lists were not submitted on time.
The decision required the commission to reprint ballots to accommodate an additional 181 ANC candidates, as well as candidates from 32 other political parties in similar circumstances.
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Mamabolo says the IEC is closely monitoring the reprinting process, although operational challenges, including electricity disruptions caused by vandalism and power supply problems, have affected some printing operations.
He says the commission is working to resolve these challenges, with the aim of completing the printing in time for special voting, which begins on Monday.
While the IEC is targeting Friday to finish the process, Mamabolo has acknowledged that some printing could extend beyond the deadline due to unforeseen circumstances.
However, he says the commission does not currently anticipate that this will prevent it from preparing for the elections.
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Beyond the printing process, the commission is also concerned about the safe handling and distribution of election materials.
Around 188,000 election officials will be responsible for managing the materials, and Mamabolo has stressed the importance of ensuring that ballots and other election supplies are handled with care and kept secure during transportation.
He has also urged political parties not to interfere with local storage facilities or the distribution of election materials.
Despite the challenges, Mamabolo says the IEC remains committed to ensuring the election preparations are completed on time.