Elections on Wednesday 8 May are expected to run smoothly: after all, this is the sixth time the Electoral Commission (IEC) is running national and provincial elections simultaneously. Grocott’s Mail has compiled the following guide to help steer you through the voting process at the core of our democracy.
Process overview
The length of time you will have to wait depends on the number of people in the queue, but once you have entered the voting station the process should take about five to ten minutes. Voters will be given two ballot papers each if they are registered in the province where they are voting. If they vote outside their province they will only be given one ballot paper with the 48 parties contesting the national election. Two police officers and security personnel will be assigned to each voting station but they are not allowed to interfere with the voting process. Everything that happens at voting station is under jurisdiction of the Presiding Officer or PO.
Voting in seven steps
Step one: On entering the voting station, you will be met by a queue walker who leads each person to the relevant place within the voting station.
Step two: The queue walker will first take you to a voters’ roll officer who ensures that only eligible voters can participate. The officer will check if your name appears on the voters’ roll. The voters’ roll officer will work with a person who operates a zip-zip machine (a type of scanner) – to electronically check your details. If the zip-zip machine does not work – do not panic because there are alternative mechanisms in place to make sure that the process is taken care of. The officer will then scratch out your name to make sure that you do not vote twice
Step three: You will then go to an inker – who will mark your thumb with ink to make sure you don’t go to another voting station.
Step four: You will be guided to the ballot paper issuer and issued with two rubber-stamped ballot papers. A stamp is a security measure which means that a ballot paper without a stamp is not valid.
Step five: You will then be taken to a ballot booth where you are able to make your mark in privacy.
Step six: The next step is where the voter deposits the votes in ballot boxes. There are two boxes: one for provincial and one for national.
Step seven: Finally you will be led out of the voting station and you can go about your business.
VOTING STATIONS IN MAKANA
This is a list of the 41 voting stations within the Makana local municipality. The IEC says you should vote in the province where you registered in order to receive two ballot papers.
Ward No. Voting District No. Voting Station Name Address 01 10100237 Hooggenoeg Hall Makhanda Hooggennoeg 10260010 Alfred Dike Kota Hall Behren Riebeeck East 10330018 Carlisle Bridge Farm School
Carlisle Bridge 10330074 Koonap Community Hall Ec104 – Makana [Makhanda 10330119 Douglas Heights Tent Douglas Heights Farm Douglas Heights Farm Area 02 10100035 Ntlebi Lower Primary School
00 Daniels Street Makanaskop Makhanda
10100046 Noluthando Hall Nompondo Street Makanskop Makhanda
03 10100079 Mary Waters Senior Secondary School
01 Andrew Himro Road, Makhanda North, Makhanda 10100170 Assumption Clinic Tent Bisholo Street Phumlani Location Makhanda 04 10100136 Graeme College 00 Templeton Drive Somerset Heights Makhanda
10100147 Recreation Hall Albany Road Makhanda North Makhanda
10100158 St Aidans Complex 00 Cnr Milner/Constitution Street Oatlands Makhanda
05 10100181 Umzi Wasetiyopiya Catholic Church
Erf 8649 Hobe Street Extension 9 Joza Location Makhanda
10100204 New Community Hall Makana 06 10100024 Indoor Sports Centre N/A Mandela Street Extension 6, Makhanda
10100226 Ikutliso Daniels High School Ncame Street Extension 4, Makhanda 10100248 D.D.Siwisa Primary School Extention 6 Makhanda 07 10100068 Tantyi Hall Z Street Makanaskop, Makhanda 10100080 Hlalani Hall N/A Hlalani Location 08 10100125 Public Library Activities Room Hill Street, Makhanda 09 10100057 Nombulelo Senior Secondary School 00 Sani Street Makanaskop, Makhanda
10100103 Fikizolo Lower Primary School Upper Raeman Rd, Fingo Village, Makhanda
10 10100091 10100091 BB Zondani Hall Victoria Road Fingo, Makhanda 10100114 Nathaniel Nyaluza High School 00 A Street Old Location, Makhanda 10100260 Apostolic Faith Mission Church 5 Z Street Makhanda 11 10100013 Ntsika Senior Secondary School Extension 07, Makhanda 10100192 Ethiopian Orthodox Church Of South Africa Sani Street Extension 6, Makhanda
12 10100169 Steve Biko Hall Prince Alfred Street, Makhanda 13 10100215 Vukani (Tent Site) Rev Lolwana Street, Vukani Location, Makhanda 10330052 Salem Club Hall Salem Club Po Salem
10330063 Manley Flats Sports Club Manley Flats, Makhanda 10330085 Frasers Camp Shop Frasers Camp Makhanda 10330096 Committees Drift Police Station (Tent) In Front of Police Station Committee’s Drift 10330108 Collingham (Pinewood School) Ec104 – Makana [Makhanda] 10350065 Gardener’s Gate Tent Gardener’s Gate Farm, Gardeners Gate Makhanda 10350087 Farmer Field School Farmerfield Makhanda 14 10040016 Alicedale Town Hall Main Street, Alicedale 10330029 Sidbury Hall Sidbury Hall, Sidbury 10330030 Highlands Tent Highlands Farm Highlands, Makhanda 10330041 Seven Fountains Sports Club Seven Fountains
