Some eligible voters in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, still do not know that they will receive three ballot papers, instead of two when they vote next week. They are, however, ready to make their cross. The IEC in Mpumalanga says it is ready for the task.
May 29th has been declared the date for the elections. But those who applied for Special Votes will cast their ballots from Monday.
“We are almost 98/99% ready in terms of election staff. We appointed 20 957 people who will be assisting with the elections. We also have secured voting stations which are 1 811 in all the three regions we have. The breakdown of the voting stations; we have permanent stations which are 1 697, temporary stations are 66 and mobile stations which are 48,” says Thanduxolo Chembeni, Mpumalanga IEC Spokesperson.
Eligible voters, new and old are looking forward to the election day.
“I don’t know anything about voting. So, I would like to get more information,” an eligible voter said.
“We are going to vote. We have been voting all along although they are not doing anything to improve our lives, but we are going to vote,” an eligible voter explains.
“My concerns about ballot papers are for instance, now, I have changed my address, but now it seems they sent me a document stating that I only qualify for the national ballot and not for the other two. So, that is my main concern,” an eligible voter elaborates.
The identified hotspots will be monitored during the elections.
“In Mpumalanga, we have hotspot areas which identified them during registration weekend 1 in November and registration weekend 2 in February. This year in Ehlanzeni, we have hotspot areas in Nkomazi area like Dludluma, in Bushbuckridge. We also have hotspot areas in Nkangala in Emalahleni ward 11, around Vosman and Siyabuswa region,” Chembeni added.
Voters who applied for special votes will be visited at home or places of confinement from Monday.
