The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said officers were 100% ready for the general elections which were held last Wednesday on 22 April.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said officers were 100% ready for the general elections which were held last Wednesday on 22 April.
The IEC said all voting materials were delivered to the 36 polling stations in the Makana subdistricts. The IEC Makana electoral project co-ordinator Mvuleni Mvula said that by Saturday all "sensitive materials" had been kept in safe storage at the voting stations.
When asked how the IEC would ensure free and fair elections, he said all parties had a fair chance of canvassing. This was maintained throughout the election period.
"Our staff should treat all parties equally because the commission is non-partisan," he said.
Mvula added that his staff reported at polling stations at 7am Tuesday morning to prepare the stations for the special voting process which started an hour later and continued until 5pm.
A contingent of electoral officials was dispatched to go to institutions and the homes of voters who were immobile due to disabilities or ill health. These voters filed special voting applications beforehand which stated that they would not be able to go to the polls.
For Wednesday’s general elections, polling stations were open from 7am in the morning until late in the evening. Mvula said that counting would follow immediately after the voting was done. Provisional results were posted outside each polling station as soon as counting was finalised.
The provincial results were audited and released. The ANC emerged victorious with 69.79 percent of the votes, while Cope won 13.32 percent and DA won 9.97 percent of the votes.
