IEC steps in to clear special vote backlog in Steve Tshwete
Councillors raise concerns over home visit delays as high applicant numbers strain Ward 15 voting teams.
Registered voters who applied for special votes to be cast at home can cast their ballots before today ends, November 3.
Fears have arisen that many voters may be unable to vote after Clr Helda de Klerk sent a WhatsApp message asking those who applied for special votes to go to Kanonkop Primary School to cast their ballots instead.
“The team conducting the home visits is significantly behind schedule, and I believe there is a risk that they may not reach everyone,” the WhatsApp message read.
De Klerk did not answer her cellphone when the Observer tried to call her.
Ward 15 faces heavy demand
When asked for comment, Clr Johann Dyason explained that Ward 15, where De Klerk is a candidate in the municipal election, had received a large number of applications for special votes, including from residents of the SAVF Old Age Home and the Rivierpark flats for the elderly.
Dyason noted that this implied not all voters would be assisted in time to cast their ballots.
Dyason suggested that, in future, approval for special votes should be granted more selectively, restricted to voters with disabilities or those who are bedridden.
IEC deploys extra staff
Thomas Maluleke from the Steve Tshwete IEC office intervened immediately upon learning of the backlog.
Maluleke personally collected staff members from less busy polling stations and transported them to Ward 15. A large group of IEC staff members are out in the streets this afternoon, ensuring that everyone who applied for special votes can be assisted.
