IN PICS | What voting during the Covid-19 pandemic looks like

11 November 2020 - 16:46 By zimasa matiwane
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TimesLIVE visited voting stations in Durban on Wednesday to observe how Covid-19 regulations were followed by the IEC staff and voters alike.
TimesLIVE visited voting stations in Durban on Wednesday to observe how Covid-19 regulations were followed by the IEC staff and voters alike.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

Wednesday’s by-elections gave SA a glimpse into how voting in the 2021 local government elections in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic could look like.

TimesLIVE visited voting stations in Durban to observe how Covid-19 regulations were followed by the IEC staff and voters alike.

The Electoral Commission on Monday said it was confident that the by-elections would be free, fair and safe, as long as all stakeholders conform to the strict safety measures and protocols put in place at voting stations.

The application of hand sanitisers to all people entering and exiting the voting station was the first step.

An IEC employee in personal protective equipment sanitises a voter's hands before he enters the voting station.
An IEC employee in personal protective equipment sanitises a voter's hands before he enters the voting station.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu
Voter confirmation.
Voter confirmation.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

The mandatory wearing of masks over nose and mouth for all people within the boundaries of the voting station was also strictly enforced.

'No mask, no vote' was the rule.
'No mask, no vote' was the rule.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

The traditional indelible ink marker pens were replaced with an indelible ink from a bottle, applied to the thumb of voters using cotton buds, which was disposed of after each use.

Disposable cotton buds were used to mark voters' thumbnails.
Disposable cotton buds were used to mark voters' thumbnails.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

TimesLIVE

By-elections in 95 wards across 55 municipalities in all nine of South Africa’s provinces will take place on "Super Wednesday" on November 11 2020. But how do by-elections work and why are these particular elections important? Here is all you need to know about 'Super Wednesday'


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