The special votes application period opened yesterday, April 7, allowing ten days for  for people who are not able to get to their voting stations on election day, May 7 to apply to vote at another place or time.

The period specified in the election timetable  closes on  April 17 at 5pm. 

The special votes candidates are people who are disabled or heavily pregnant, and people who will be abroad on the day of the elections.
“People who also will not be in their voting district during elections are considered special votes in terms of the Electoral Amendment Act 2013,” said Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) communications officer Thabani Ngwira.
The pregnant and disabled can apply for special vote status, to be visited at home to cast their vote. The others can apply to cast their special vote at voting station two days prior to voting day in the voting district where they are registered to vote.
“If you are a registered voter and live abroad or will be abroad on election day,you will be eligible to vote abroad on April 30. However, you must have submitted a VEC10 before March 12,” said Ngwira.
Voters wishing to apply for special votes status need to do so at their local IEC office.
“A special vote allows you to vote at your voting station in South Africa on 5 or 6 May but under no circumstances can special votes be cast on any other dates anywhere in South Africa,” said Ngwira.