JOHANNESBURG - More than 2.6 million special votes have been approved by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) for the November local government elections.
According to the IEC, this represents a 131% increase compared with the 2021 elections. Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo says the commission is ready to manage the increased demand.
With fewer than 20 days remaining before the elections, plans are underway to deploy teams to visit about 670,000 voters at their homes. Approximately 1.9 million voters will cast their ballots at voting stations on 2 and 3 November.
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“It shouldn’t have a disruptive effect,” Mamabolo said.
He said the increase showed that more people were participating in the electoral process and that the commission was making it easier for voters to cast their ballots.
“It does show that the participation envelope is increasing and the commission is making it easier for people to cast their ballots,” he said.
Mamabolo said special votes catered for elderly people, voters with disabilities and those who would not be in their voting districts on 4 November. These voters can cast their ballots on the designated special voting days.
“The ease of access to the special vote is important in explaining the growth,” he added.
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The IEC has previously faced challenges recruiting electoral officers, but Mamabolo said efforts to fill the remaining vacancies were progressing. Recruitment in Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal was almost complete.
The commission is scheduled to hold its final readiness meeting next week.
Meanwhile, the IEC is awaiting the Constitutional Court’s decision on the ANC’s bid to have its candidates included on the ballot for the November elections.