The Electoral Commission reports that as at 10h30 this morning, 27 per cent of the 64 502 results expected had been finalized. This status is in line with expected result capturing process. It is estimated that 90 per cent of results would be finalized by evening. The balance of 10 per cent would take another 24 hours to complete.

The Northern Cape has completed 74 percent of its results, followed by Western Cape at 46 per cent and in third position comes Free State at 26 percent. The rest of the provinces completion rate range between 15 and 37 per cent.

The result capturing involves are a number of processes including the verification of the result slips, the capturing, scanning and the auditing of the results. An independent audit firm have been procured for purposes of auditing the results.

Voter Turnout

The Commission would like to call upon all leaders of political parties to act and speak responsibly as the result collation process unfolds. As you will recall, the Commission had anticipated the prospect of a lower voter turnout already in July and approached the Constitutional Court. Nonetheless, the Commission implemented an extensive education and communication campaign to ensure that voters turnout to out. This included educational programmes that assured voters that it will safe to be at a voting station.

Furthermore, it is important to realize that voter turnout is a multifaceted phenomenon influenced by different factors. Some of the elements that motivate voters to go relate to factors outside of the purview of the Commission such as disruptions to services, levels of trust in political institutions. Regrettably, unwarranted attacks on the Commission could potentially also influence voter turnout. 

In the analysis of voter turnout, the COVID context in which the election happened should not be forgotten. The national message has been that people must not be in congregate environments.

Voter Management Devices (VMD’s)

The Commission believes that voter management devices were the mainstay equipment for this election. These devices have ensured that we continue to meet the constitutional courts injunction that voters only vote in the wards in which they are registered and that every voter must have an address on the voters’ roll.

12 186 869 were processed through the VMD’s over the two days of special votes as well as election day. This means that we are confident that these voters voted in the wards in which they are ordinarily resident. This is important control measure in a local government election.

Through the use of the technology, the Commission was able for the first time to register voters and simultaneously capture their addresses during the registration weekend in September. Address capturing would have taken months to complete without the VMD as was previously the case.

Over the election period, a total of 176 006 additional addresses were included on the voters roll from voters who previously did not have an address.

Enfranchising Voters

If voters present themselves at a voting stations where they are not on the voters’ roll but there is proof that they had applied for registration at that voting station before the date of the proclamation of the election, such voters are entitled to vote using the procedure prescribed in section 7(2) of the Municipal Electoral Act.

Given technical glitches during the registration weekend, some voters were captured manually while others were captured on VMD’s but not uploaded. These voters were entitled to participate in the election. There was a total of 238 403 voters who were eventually placed on the MEC 7 list which was centrally connected with all VMD’s. 129 615 of those on this lists voted in their correct voting stations.

Possible Load-Shedding

The Commission has noted the announcement by Eskom that the national electricity Grid is currently constrained and there may be a need to shed load sometime in the course of the day. Discussions are underway to insulate capturing sites in order minimise the impact on the results collation process.

The National Results Operations Centre does have generators which will be used in the event load shedding affects the Pretoria West area.

Issued by Kate Baela on behalf of Independent Electoral Commission, 2 November 2021