Elections: Voter turn-out could set ‘records’

South Africans came out in numbers to cast their votes on Wednesday, with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) revealing that it is projecting a high voter turn-out that could exceed previous estimates.

The commission said early statistics have revealed significant voter interest across the country and if the trend holds, they project that voter turn-out could exceed 66%.

Throughout the country, voters showed up to cast their votes for the 2024 national and provincial elections.

These elections are considered the most competitive in decades. In KwaZulu-Natal, the control of the provincial government is fiercely contested by the IFP, MK Party (MKP) and the ANC. Addressing the media on the progress of the elections on Wednesday, the Electoral Commission’s deputy chief electoral officer, Masego Sheburi, said the commission was on track to achieve a high voter turn-out.

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“The commission reports a smooth start to the national and provincial elections,” Sheburi said, adding that the bulk of their voting stations had opened on time but there were a few that were delayed owing to challenges like voter material handling, protests and a shortage of police to escort the materials.

He said in most stations, queues were already formed before stations were meant to open at 7am. “This we think is testament to the enthusiasm of South Africans to record their political choice.

“The commission respects its obligation to ensure that each of the 27 million registered voters will receive an opportunity to record their choice before voting closes at 9pm,” he said.

The deputy chief electoral officer touched on the projection of the commission on the voter turn-out.

“The commission planned on receiving many voters. You see it from our provisioning (of materials). We also estimated that the turn-out may be more than 66%, that is the basis on which we made our plans. We are happy to report that from the steady (flow of people to voting stations), if indications are anything to go by, we may match or just (exceed) the 66% voter turn-out.

“That is not blind hope, it is hope informed by the following. Between 2021 and the certification of the voters roll before this election, we lost no fewer than 800 000 people on the voters roll.

Even with that net decline, we were able to significantly improve the registration figures to 27.7 million, the biggest size of the voters roll we have ever had to compile, going into an election,” he said.

Some political parties also said they expected a high voter turn-out.

DA premier candidate Chris Pappas said he had visited several stations which had long queues partly as a result of technical problems. However, said Pappas, there was great enthusiasm among voters.

Political analyst Professor Bheki Mngomezulu said the high voter turn-out could mean problems for the governing party.

“If you look at the number of the people that registered to vote, a large number are young people, these are people who judge the party based on its performance, not held back by the legacy of the party being a liberation movement, like elderly people are.”

He said the ANC figures have already been going down and the high voter turnout could reduce it significantly.

“The party suffers from what I call sins of incumbency, because they are in charge, everything that goes wrong is blamed on them.”

The KZN IEC said by 7am on Wednesday 96% of 4 974 voting stations had opened.

Those that opened late were as a result of minor incidents. These included the non-availability of police to escort staff carrying sensitive materials, and voting stations being blocked by political parties.

The IEC said technical and network problems also affected the smooth operation of voting.

Speaking about the political tension in KwaZulu-Natal, after casting his vote at Killarney Country Club in Johannesburg, former president Thabo Mbeki said it is very important that all political parties, especially in KZN respect the rules.

He appealed for people in KZN to be given the freedom to make their own decisions.

“I would really appeal to everybody to do that, but the police service must be very vigilant and not allow any lawlessness, because nobody has got a right to do anything illegal in order to impose a particular democratic outcome.

“The police need to play their (role), but certainly the political parties: anyone in that province who says ‘I am a leader of people’ looks after people, and doesn’t go about beating up or intimidating people. I really do hope that leadership will play its role,” said Mbeki.

Former deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe also voted at the Killarney Country Club, while President Cyril Ramaphosa cast his vote in Chiawelo, Soweto. EFF leader Julius Malema voted in Seshego in Limpopo.

DA leader John Steenhuisen voted in Durban North, while the IFP’s premier candidate, Thami Ntuli, cast his vote in Nkandla. Former president and now MKP leader Jacob Zuma also voted in Nkandla and IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa voted in KwaHlabisa.

The Mercury