Durban - The Independent Electoral Commission in KwaZulu-Natal reported on Monday that a number of service delivery protests had taken place in the province but that police had intervened so that special voting could take place.
The commission’s provincial operation as manager Ntombifuthi Masinga said incidents had taken place in the eThekwini municipality and Mandeni, Ndwedwe, Maphumulo, Ubuhlebezwe and Umzumbe.
A road was also blocked on Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi highway in Umlazi.
Masinga said police responded almost as soon as the protests developed and roads that had been blocked were quickly cleared to ensure that IEC officials could take ballot papers and other voting paraphernalia to voting stations so that the 31 000 application for special votes and 70 000 for home visits could be carried out on Monday and Tuesday.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said the protests were mostly linked to service delivery issues, including some areas where people were angry over the damage caused to infrastructure by recent floods.
In eThekwini, the protests are believed to be linked to an ongoing protest by municipal workers.