The first day of special voting in the Western Cape saw a relatively smooth start on Monday, with minor glitches and delays reported by political parties.
Special votes continued on Tuesday ahead of the national and provincial elections on Wednesday.
A total of 137 558 people have been approved for special votes in the province.
The officials from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) paid the voters visits at their homes while other special voters cast their ballots at their voting stations.
While the first day of voting went smoothly, a few locations encountered delays and minor issues, according to political parties.
Ashwin Jansen, a proportional councillor for the DA at ward 56, said a voter management system was offline in one of the voting stations. This was reported to the IEC.
“We have not had many major issues other than the voter management system being offline. We informed the IEC management and they attended to it,” said Jansen.
“Another issue was the ink pen drying up. But overall, it has been just minor problems that did not significantly disrupt the voting process.”
Good party secretary-general Brett Herron said there were also reports of voting stations opening late and some home visits not taking place.
“A little disappointing that everything didn’t run smoothly, but plenty of time before Wednesday for the IEC to sort out the relatively minor issues,” said Herron.
Elderly voters cast votes
Ninety-one-year-old Cape Town pensioner, Myrtle Collins, said IEC representatives arrived at her home just after 8am on Monday.
“It was wonderful for me to know that we can vote at home. I have been voting since 1994 because I want to see a better South Africa and I pray for it,” she said.
Another voter, Julia Matrosse, 62, said she voted for the Patriotic Alliance (PA) because other political parties are failing to address the challenges that her community grapples with.
“Other parties have done nothing for our ward; it is the PA that is doing the work. Gayton McKenzie [PA leader] is working,” said Matrosse.
“It is the PA that is doing the work for the community.”
ANC determined to oust DA
Speaking outside the Sosebenza Public Primary School in Khayelitsha, ANC Dullah Omar regional chairperson, Ndithi Tyhido, said the ruling party is determined to remove the DA from power in the Western Cape.
“My vote is not a secret; I voted for the ANC. Our intention is to root out the DA. The ANC is the only dependable alternative we have as the people of South Africa,” said Tyhido.
Speaking to the media at a voting station in Pinelands, DA federal chairperson Helen Zille said the ANC will drop below 50%, and it will never get above 50% again.
Special votes continue on Tuesday.
