ELECTION NEWS AND VIDEO - Western Cape Provincial Electoral Officer Courtney Sampson addressed the media during the first media briefing at the IEC Results Centre in Cape Town this morning.
He said all voting stations were operational, with minor glitches experienced early morning with the zip-zip machines at a couple of voting stations that were not switched to the correct mode.
"The zip-zip machines are used for voter registration and for voter identification. Our IEC officials quickly assisted the presiding officers at the relevant stations to correct the zip-zip machine's mode.
"We apologise to the voters who had to unnecessarily endure the rain as a result."
Sampson paid tribute to the electoral conduct observer commission monitors who are visiting voting stations across the Western Cape today to ensure that voting takes place in a free and fair manner.
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He also mentioned More than Peace, an observer group who are visiting voting stations.
"Their involvement increases transparency," Sampson said the low-lying areas are being closely monitored to ensure that the rain does not negatively affect the voting process.
"We also receive regular feedback from the joint operations centre that is run by law enforcement agencies on any problems that may be experienced."
Two problem areas were experienced in Plettenberg Bay early morning and with structures being destroyed in a fire in Khayelitsha.
"Fortunately the department of home affairs will be available to assist voters until 21:00 to obtain temporary identity documents. Sampson said certain people, however, will not be able to vote today, such as people who were admitted into the hospital overnight, and people who are in police cells today.
"The IEC has not made provisions for these people to vote at this stage,"
Sampson said voting in the Western Cape is off to a good start. He thanked the political parties for their interest in the result centre and for giving feedback to the IEC on minor problems being experienced at voting stations. "Your feedback allows the IEC to smoothen out the system. We appreciate your careful monitoring, it is highly valued.
Stamps on ballot papers a security measure
Sampson said the social media hype about stamps on ballot papers serves to highlight the very important security measure implemented by the IEC. "We have no way of knowing whether the rumours on social media are true. If anything, social media furore serves an important purpose. At least now voters are more aware of the need for the stamp on the ballot paper. The stamp on the ballot paper can only be made inside the voting station. It is a security measure. It serves to ensure that voting papers cannot fraudulently be added to the ballot boxes and be counted. In addition, the political party observers play an important role to verify the integrity of the ballot paper. He urged South Africans not to sow unnecessary suspicion and panic through social media.
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