Thousands Wait in Long Queues
In the early hours of Thursday, many voters were still in line to cast their votes after the May 29 elections were marred by extensive queues, particularly in major cities like Durban, Johannesburg, and Cape Town. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) emphasised during a Wednesday night press conference that all voting should be completed that day to avoid logistical and security issues with the ballots.
Device Malfunctions Cause Delays
The significant delays were primarily caused by persistent glitches in the voter management devices (VMDs) across several municipalities. By 2 PM on Wednesday, the IEC instructed presiding officers and area managers to abandon the malfunctioning VMDs and revert to the manual ballot roll system. According to IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo, while VMDs are not a legal requirement, the manual ballot roll is legislated under the electoral act. When functioning properly, VMDs were more efficient, but their frequent failures led to long queues and delays.
Nighttime Voting and Exhausted Volunteers
By 9:52 PM, many voting stations, including Hunters Hill Fire Station in North Riding, were still crowded with voters enduring the cold weather. Police began restricting entry around 9 PM to manage the situation. Hunters Hill presiding officer Reginald Kubeka, visibly exhausted, reported that the VMDs had been intermittently failing all day, necessitating a switch to the slower manual system. Kubeka and his team, having been on their feet since 4 AM, faced the daunting task of counting over 23,000 votes after the final ballot was cast.
Political Parties Rally Voters
Political parties took various measures to encourage voters to stay in line. The ANC deployed officials to Wits University to urge students to remain in the queue, while the EFF offered refreshments to those waiting. EFF leader Julius Malema released a motivational video, urging young voters to persevere. MK Party leader Jacob Zuma also made a last-minute appeal for votes through a video message.
Personal Stories from the Queues
Ntokozo Mkhwanazi, the last voter in line at North Riding, arrived at the station at 9 PM after a long journey. Despite uncertainty about whom to vote for, Mkhwanazi was determined to vote for change. Larchelle Broll, who arrived with her family just before the gates closed, expressed hope for a brighter future and better governance.
Initial Results Announced
As voting concluded, the first results began to trickle in from smaller stations. Bizana Baptist Church in the Eastern Cape was the first to declare results, with the ANC leading. By 6 AM, with 0.94% of votes counted nationwide, the ANC held a significant lead with 53.68% of the votes, followed by the DA, EFF, and MK Party.
High Voter Turnout Expected
Despite the technical issues and long waits, the IEC anticipated a higher voter turnout than in the 2019 elections. Long queues at various locations, including KwaMashu, Alexandra, and Observatory, suggested a strong voter presence. As votes are tallied, the results will continue to be updated, with all eyes on the evolving numbers and their implications for South Africa’s political landscape.
You can view the current results here.
