Smooth start, high turnout, says IEC

Voting has gotten off to a smooth start at almost all voting stations across the country, the IEC's chairperson Glen Mashinini has said.

Pretoria - Voting across the country has gotten off to a smooth start at almost all voting stations on Wednesday morning, the IEC's chairperson Glen Mashinini told a media briefing at the results centre in Tshwane.

Addressing journalists, he said there has been a strong turnout at most voting stations from early on Wednesday morning.

"The Electoral Commission is particularly encouraged that many voting stations reported strong turnouts from early this morning with voters already waiting to vote before 7am opening,” Mashinini said.

However the IEC acknowledged various glitches and hiccups, promising that they will be attended to.

These, which include tents being blown over by high winds and late arrival of election staff and voting materials in a few voting stations, resulted in several delays.

There has also been isolated reports of unrest and community protest, which affected the start of voting in the Eastern Cape.

"Security forces had been deployed to ensure voting could start as soon as possible in these areas," he said.

A police briefing is underway to update the country on how the security forces plan to handle any disruptions.

In hot spots such as Vuwani Limpopo, Midvaal and Umzimkhulu in KwaZulu-Natal, the IEC assured the media the situation was under control and that voting was proceeding without disruptions.

The CEO of the IEC Mosotho Moepya has also assured voters that ballot papers will not run out, despite numerous complaints made by voters on social media.

"I assure the nation that there will be no shortage of ballot papers.We want everything to go well."

Observers are watching voter turnout closely as this could affect the fortunes of many political parties trying to win seats in municipalities.

Elections Bureau