Elections 2024: Thousands of South Africans cast their votes overseas

Over 56 000 votes were cast at 111 foreign missions around the world on Saturday, in the first leg of voting in the 2024 National and Provincial Elections (NPE).

This is according to Sy Mamabolo, the chief electoral officer of the Electoral Commission of South Africa, known as the IEC.

Mamabolo was speaking at the launch of the IEC’s National Results Operation Centre (ROC) at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand yesterday.

“The ROC will serve as the beating heart of our democratic process, bringing together commission members, operational areas, representatives of political parties and independent candidates, observer missions, and media representatives from across the globe. There will be ROCs across all nine provinces.

“It is with great honour that we welcome a record-breaking 160 organisations, collectively deploying over 5 000 observers from around the world, to witness and validate the integrity of our electoral process,” said Mamabolo.

The organisations include international bodies such as the African Union, The Carter Centre Democracy Programme, and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, as well as a legion of domestic observers ‘committed to upholding the principles of transparency and accountability’.

First votes cast

Mamabolo said an important milestone was reached on Saturday when the first votes in the NPE were cast.

“A total of 56 800 votes were cast at 111 foreign missions around the world. Those registered to vote at the London voting station were given an extra day [on Sunday] because of the high number of voters registered there.”

Special votes around the corner

Next week Monday and Tuesday, the IEC will accept special votes from the more than 1.6 million South Africans who were approved.

“The IEC visit 624 593 voters at their homes or places of confinement, and 1 043 483 will be assisted at voting stations where they are registered,” said Mamabolo.

The provinces with the most approved special votes for both home visits and voting station visits are:

• Gauteng: 335 480
• KZN: 320 010
• Eastern Cape: 286 059
• Limpopo: 159 800
• Western Cape: 137 558
• North West: 132 627
• Mpumalanga: 126 112
• Free State: 86 908
• Northern Cape: 83 504.

“Trained staff, agents from political parties and independent candidates, as well as accredited observers, will be present when the special votes are cast,” Mamabolo said.

Election Day will see 202 500 IEC officials present at all 23 303 voting stations across the country.

Mamabolo said over 90 million ballot papers have been printed.

“The IEC stands resolute in its commitment to declaring an election outcome that is a true reflection of the choices made by the South African people – the custodians of our democracy. For it is your democracy, and you must truly own it.”