Logistical problems disrupt South African special vote
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Mail & Guardian
South Africa’s municipal election special vote saw opening delays, inaccessible seating and equipment problems in Germiston. The difficulties, particularly for older people and those with limited mobility, raise questions about preparations for the main poll on 4 November, reports the Mail & Guardian.
The special vote for South Africa’s municipal elections was disrupted on Monday by several logistical problems at a polling station in Germiston, east of Johannesburg. Opening, scheduled for before 8am, did not begin until 8.10am, while voters waited standing because chairs were not immediately available, reports the Mail & Guardian.
The scanner used to check identity documents then broke down, causing a further wait of 15 to 20 minutes. Voters also had no pens in the polling booths, and officials had to find one, reports the Mail & Guardian.
The special vote allows people who cannot vote on election day, scheduled for 4 November, to cast their ballots early. Older people and voters with mobility difficulties were among those affected by these organisational problems. The incidents came after 99% of polling stations scheduled for the special vote opened and three ballot boxes were stolen from a polling station in KwaZulu-Natal, according to reports by the Mail & Guardian.
