Special voting dates released

THE Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has announced the special voting application period. The Electoral Act makes provision for various categories of people to apply for special votes by completing an application form accompanied by a certified copy of the id document to the IEC.

In the case of the first category, these voters will be visited at their place of residence by an electoral staff member accompanied by any party agent as witnesses to cast their vote.

Voters may, in this election, vote anywhere in the province in which they are registered and shall be entitled to vote on both ballots.

Should a voter be away from the province in which he or she is registered, they shall be entitled to vote only on the national ballot at any voting station in the Republic.

This does not preclude voters from applying for special votes to vote on 5 and/or 6 May before leaving their province and/or country.

Special votes applications are only open from 7 April till 5pm on 17 April and all voting stations will be open on 5 and 6 May to receive special votes. Categories of people who qualify for special voting:

1. The elderly, infirm, disabled or pregnant who are unable to travel to the voting station;

2. Officers serving in the election or a member of the security services on duty in connection with the election, and will be absent from the voting station in the voting district where they are registered as a voter on voting day;

3. Voters absent from the voting district in which they are registered to vote on voting day;

4. Voters absent from the Republic on voting day; and

5. Voters absent from the Republic on voting day and will be serving as a member of the security services.

Please take note that voters can also vote with a temporary identity certificate (tic) For any queries or further clarity call your local councillors, Andre Mitchell on 084 464 1650 (ward 63) or Chris Van den Berg on 082 372 2403 (ward 65) .