IN PICS | Special votes being cast in 2024 general elections

More than 1.6-million people who registered to cast special votes in the 2024 national and provincial elections have begun making their crosses for the candidates of their choice.

Voting stations are open between 9am and 5pm on Monday and Tuesday for these voters.

Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) officials are also visiting homes and care institutions for those who require assistance.

The IEC has, in collaboration with the South African National Council for the Blind, developed the universal ballot template for blind and partially-sighted people, people with an unsteady hand, the elderly and people with motor and nervous conditions which do not allow a steady hand.

Provinces have the following number of special voters:

• Gauteng – 335,480;
• KwaZulu-Natal – 320,010;
• Eastern Cape – 286,059;
• Limpopo – 159,800;
• Western Cape – 137,558;
• North West – 132,627;
• Mpumalanga – 126,112;
• Free State – 86,908; and
• Northern Cape – 83,504.

The voting station at Pierre van Ryneveld library in Centurion opened shortly before 9am, ready to accept the first special voters, with two people waiting to cast their votes.

Voters were guided to a station to hand in their IDs, where they were given three ballot papers – regional, provincial, and national – and two envelopes.

“You put all your ballot papers into envelope A, and put envelope A into envelope B, seal it and put it in the ballot box,” an IEC official said.

Elize Meyer, 63, was among those casting a special vote as her health prevented her from queuing on Wednesday, the main election day.

“I woke up and realised this is serious and I need to get to the voting station as soon as possible. I think the country needs every vote. I want to see the end of corruption and money flowing where it is meant to go. I think a lot needs to be done in our municipalities to uplift our neighbourhoods, specifically Gauteng. I am satisfied that I voted. It was a seamless process and I feel I have contributed to the country,” she told TimesLIVE.

Hermien Kuppen, who is preparing for a trip from Monday afternoon and registered for a special vote, said she hoped her vote would help grow the economy and put an end to load-shedding, which she says has become unacceptable.

“The change I want to see is some stability going in the right direction and any improvement from where we are today. The economy is where it is because of the corruption. Also, there is this thing of not having load-shedding for weeks. We know it is coming. There is a thing of it being acceptable, even when things are not done right. It is our right to have electricity. We pay for it,” she said.

A man who wanted to go by the name Jeffrey said he was privileged to cast his vote, which he hoped would bring peace and stability to the country.

“There are countries that have oil and all riches, like the Democratic Republic of Congo , but what is happening there? We can have all that we have, but if we don’t feel safe, it doesn’t help. I want to see peace and stability. The rest comes once there is peace and stability.”

A 72-year-old lady who has a back issue said she was tired of “charismatic” presidents and hoped to see the end of corruption.

“I want to see a lot of positive changes. All the corruption must stop. We can’t go on like this. We need a president who is really worth it. A charismatic type of person doesn’t do it. I feel special now that I have cast my vote,” she said.

There are three ballot papers in the 2024 election:

• the national ballot: this will be used to vote for political parties. There are 52 parties on this ballot and the configuration is a dual column;
• the regional to national ballot: this will show political parties and independent candidates contesting the seats reserved for each province in the National Assembly. Voters will use this ballot to elect a political party or an independent candidate to represent them in the assembly; and
• the provincial ballot: this ballot is unique to each province and includes parties and independent candidates competing for seats in provincial legislatures. This ballot will allow voters to choose a political party or an independent candidate to represent them in provincial legislatures.

Most registered voters will vote on Wednesday.

TimesLIVE