With 2.6 million special-vote applications approved, 66% of ballots printed, and 676 complaints recorded, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says preparations are advancing, but outstanding court cases and operational challenges remain.
The IEC is racing to complete preparations for the November 4 local government elections, with a surge in special-vote applications, potential ballot reprints and scrutiny of its results system among the key issues in the final stretch.
At a media briefing on Wednesday, Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said the commission had approved 2.6 million special-vote applications, a 131% increase on the comparable figure for the 2021 elections.
More than 66% of the 79 million ballot papers required had been printed, with production expected to conclude on October 18. However, court proceedings over the exclusion of ANC candidates in several municipalities could force the IEC to reprint ballots, adding financial and logistical pressure.
Masego Sheburi, the IEC’s Deputy Chief Electoral Officer for Electoral Matters, warned that the timing of the dispute could have significant consequences.
“We’ve indicated that 66% of ballots have already been printed, because we have a finite window period of 21 days within which to print those files,” Sheburi said.
“Unfortunately, ballots that are implicated in the ANC case, a significant proportion of those have already been printed. We must reprint new ballots to give effect to the court decision if the court finds in favour of the ANC.”
Of the approved applications, 678 000 were for home visits for voters unable to travel to voting stations because of physical infirmity or disability, a 33% increase on 2021.
A further 1.9 million applications were approved for special votes at voting stations, compared with 602 000 in 2021, an increase of 227%.
Gauteng recorded approximately 480 000 approved applications, followed by the Eastern Cape with 401 000, and KwaZulu-Natal with 348 000. Women accounted for 66.6% of applications, compared with 33.4% from men. They represented 74% of applicants requesting home visits.
Sheburi said the increase could indicate greater willingness to participate, although applications alone could not establish whether overall turnout would improve.
“With each election, the number of citizens availing themselves of the convenience of special votes increases,” he said.
More than 7% of votes cast in the 2024 national and provincial elections were special votes, he added. Special voting for the local government elections is scheduled for November 2 and 3.
Mamabolo described the results system as central to recording votes and calculating representation in municipal councils.
“The result system is an important system which is the ultimate bearer of the will of the voter.”
Between October 5 and 12, the IEC gave political parties access to test the system’s functionality, security and reliability. The DA, ANC, African Christian Democratic Party, EFF, and Freedom Front Plus participated. A second and final dry run is scheduled for October 26, following an independent audit.
Sheburi outlined safeguards for verifying results. Votes will be counted at voting stations in the presence of party agents and observers. Result slips will be signed and made available for verification, while party agents will be able to photograph them. The IEC will retain copies, with others transported in tamper-evident bags to capturing facilities.
“For this election, we will use the voter management device to also take an image of the result slip and upload it onto a repository that we will maintain here,” Sheburi said.
The IEC has received 676 complaints through its designated Real411 platform since August 2.
The commission also said 96% of presiding officers, 93% of deputy presiding officers and 94% of area managers had been recruited and captured on its staff system. Overall recruitment stood at 79% of the approximately 188 000 electoral officials required.
All 23 696 voting stations had been secured, with leases concluded for 22 659 permanent stations. Arrangements were being finalised for 1 005 temporary stations and 33 mobile voting stations.
The national results operation centre is scheduled to open at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand on October 28.