The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) says special voting at nine South African missions abroad kicked off with a smooth start on Friday.

“We are pleased that South Africans living abroad have heeded the call to vote, and we encourage those voters whose places of voting are open today to vote before the close of voting at 19:00 (local time in the territory),” says Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo.

Yesterday, South African voters had the opportunity to cast their votes in Algiers, Amman, Cairo, Damascus, Jeddah, Kuwait City, Ramallah, Riyad and Teheran.

A media statement issued by the IEC says 102 missions, with a workweek from Monday to Friday, will vote today from 07:00 to 19:00.

SAcans abroad, let’s showcase our South African pride 🇿🇦! Today is the day to make your mark in the #SAelections24! Grab your ID and head to one of the 102 missions open from 7AM-7PM ((local time in the region) and cast your vote. Don’t forget to share your voting experience by… pic.twitter.com/EoOlGmolgc

— IEC South Africa (@IECSouthAfrica) May 18, 2024

“Due to the large voter population, the commission determined two days of special voting for London.”

South Africans in London will be able to vote on Saturday, May 18, and Sunday, May 19, from 07:00 to 21:00.

“The additional voting day and extended voting hours are intended to enable proper arrangements for the 24 535 voters entitled to vote at the mission,” reads the statement.

The ICE urged those living in London not to leave voting to the last day.

“On Saturday, the entire Duncannon Street will be closed off to traffic, and stanchions will be erected to facilitate large-scale queuing,” says Mamabolo.

SAcans abroad, let’s showcase our South African pride 🇿🇦! Today is the day to make your mark in the #SAelections24! Grab your ID and head to one of the 102 missions open from 7AM-7PM ((local time in the region) and cast your vote. Don’t forget to share your voting experience by… pic.twitter.com/EoOlGmolgc

— IEC South Africa (@IECSouthAfrica) May 18, 2024

The IEC also extended voting hours at the missions in Washington DC and New York on Saturday, May 18. The voting hours are 07:00 to 21:00.

Furthermore, any voter who has a VEC 10 confirmation with a date of May 17 or 18 will be allowed to vote when they arrive at voting stations today.

Mamabolo says by law, South Africans abroad and those voting outside of their provinces of registration, will only vote on the national compensatory ballot.

“The 2024 national compensatory ballot has 52 political parties arranged in two columns. Voters are reminded to make a mark against a single party on the ballot.”

The IEC says voters out-of-country on special voting days must present in person at a mission at which they are registered (or where they have successfully applied for a special vote by VEC 10 notice), and will vote as follows:

• A voter will present their South African identity document (ID) book, smartcard or temporary identity certificate to the election official (copies of identity documents and images saved on devices are not competent forms of identification for voting).
• The left thumbnail of the voter is marked with indelible ink to indicate that they have voted.
• The name of the voter is marked off the list of voters approved to vote at that mission to indicate that the voter has participated in the election.
• The voter is issued with the national compensatory ballot paper.
• The voter will mark the ballot in secret, and place and seal the ballot in an unmarked envelope which will in turn be placed in a second envelop marked with details of the voter and the mission.
• After the voting process, cast national compensatory ballots will be transported through a secure channel back to the national office of the IEC for counting. The votes will be counted in the presence of agents representing contestants after the close of the voting stations in the country.