JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has said the results of Wednesday's general election will not be finalized before Sunday.
With thousands of people still standing in queues at polling stations in major cities across the country in the final hours of voting, IEC Chief Executive SY Mambol assured that the votes of all those in the queue would be cast by 9pm (00:30 IST). Will fall. Will be allowed to vote. ,
Mamabolo was addressing the media at the IEC results center in Johannesburg on Wednesday evening about progress made on voting across the country.
"No South African will be denied the right to vote," he said.
He also addressed several issues raised by the media, including power cuts affecting electronic voting machines and voter commotion at polling stations, early closing of polling stations and the closure of a political party leader's residence for voting. Is included.This will be used as a centerpiece. He said that all the issues raised will be investigated.
“We have been experiencing a recent surge and are processing large numbers of voters in some areas, particularly the metropolitan areas of Gauteng, Western Cape KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape (provinces),” he suggested. " Rejected the suggestion that voting could be extended to another day.
“We have no plans for the second day of voting,” he said.Voting will take place till I finish and everyone standing in the queue till 9 pm will not be allowed to vote."
Mamabolo said the IEC was expecting a significantly higher turnout than the 66 percent of the previous elections in 2019, but would not make any estimates until all voting was finished.
Earlier in the day, IEC Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Masego Sheburi said counting would begin immediately after polling stations close, with the first results from smaller polling stations expected around 04:00 IST on Thursday.
But with final results not expected before Sunday, Sheburi said the process would take longer due to this being the third vote to be held this year, as well as the large number of political parties and independent candidates on ballots for the first time.
Of the 26 million registered citizens who came to vote, three ballot papers were given – one only for political parties for the 20 seats in the National Assembly (Parliament); the second for regional political parties or independent candidates to fill the other 200 seats in the assembly; And one-third of independents and political parties are to be elected for the nine provincial assemblies of the country.The unprecedented interest from both would-be politicians and voters comes amid widespread predictions that the African National Congress (ANC) will win its majority for the first time since Nelson Mandela was installed as South Africa's first democratically elected president 30 years ago. Will do. might lose.
Analysts have attributed this to widespread public dissatisfaction with corruption at all levels of government, which has led to poor service delivery, including power blackouts for many years, and deterioration in rail and road transport infrastructure, especially at the municipal level. Is.
With thousands of people still standing in queues at polling stations in major cities across the country in the final hours of voting, IEC Chief Executive SY Mambol assured that the votes of all those in the queue would be cast by 9pm (00:30 IST). Will fall. Will be allowed to vote. ,
Mamabolo was addressing the media at the IEC results center in Johannesburg on Wednesday evening about progress made on voting across the country.
"No South African will be denied the right to vote," he said.
He also addressed several issues raised by the media, including power cuts affecting electronic voting machines and voter commotion at polling stations, early closing of polling stations and the closure of a political party leader's residence for voting. Is included.This will be used as a centerpiece. He said that all the issues raised will be investigated.
“We have been experiencing a recent surge and are processing large numbers of voters in some areas, particularly the metropolitan areas of Gauteng, Western Cape KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape (provinces),” he suggested. " Rejected the suggestion that voting could be extended to another day.
“We have no plans for the second day of voting,” he said.Voting will take place till I finish and everyone standing in the queue till 9 pm will not be allowed to vote."
Mamabolo said the IEC was expecting a significantly higher turnout than the 66 percent of the previous elections in 2019, but would not make any estimates until all voting was finished.
Earlier in the day, IEC Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Masego Sheburi said counting would begin immediately after polling stations close, with the first results from smaller polling stations expected around 04:00 IST on Thursday.
But with final results not expected before Sunday, Sheburi said the process would take longer due to this being the third vote to be held this year, as well as the large number of political parties and independent candidates on ballots for the first time.
Of the 26 million registered citizens who came to vote, three ballot papers were given – one only for political parties for the 20 seats in the National Assembly (Parliament); the second for regional political parties or independent candidates to fill the other 200 seats in the assembly; And one-third of independents and political parties are to be elected for the nine provincial assemblies of the country.The unprecedented interest from both would-be politicians and voters comes amid widespread predictions that the African National Congress (ANC) will win its majority for the first time since Nelson Mandela was installed as South Africa's first democratically elected president 30 years ago. Will do. might lose.
Analysts have attributed this to widespread public dissatisfaction with corruption at all levels of government, which has led to poor service delivery, including power blackouts for many years, and deterioration in rail and road transport infrastructure, especially at the municipal level. Is.
