Special votes close, South Africa votes on Wednesday to decide who runs its towns
Government says the Local Government Elections are a test of a democracy that gives citizens a say over service delivery, and it wants voters at the stations early.
South Africans who registered for special votes have one day left to use them, with the final day of special voting falling on Tuesday, 3 November, ahead of Wednesday’s Local Government Elections.
Government thanked the voters who turned out for the special voting process on Monday, 2 November, and called on everyone registered for a special vote to cast it on Tuesday. Special voting exists so that eligible voters who registered for it can vote before Election Day.
For Wednesday, the call from government is simple: come out in numbers, and come early. Deputy Government Spokesperson William Baloyi pointed to weather forecasts indicating isolated showers in parts of the country as the reason not to leave it late.
Voters must bring one of three accepted identity documents to the station: a smart ID card, a green barcoded ID book, or a valid temporary identity certificate.
Baloyi framed the municipal ballot as more than an administrative exercise. The right to vote, he said, was a hard-won victory for South Africans, and voting is one of the most important ways they exercise and protect democracy.
“The Municipal Elections are a key indicator to show how South Africa’s democracy is growing stronger by giving citizens a voice in decisions that affect service delivery and their communities’ future,” he said. “By participating in tomorrow’s Municipal Elections, you are exercising your fundamental democratic right and helping to shape the future of your community.”
Government also warned against the deliberate circulation of unsubstantiated allegations, fabricated election results, manipulated videos and misleading claims intended to discredit the Electoral Commission of South Africa or to create unnecessary public anxiety. Members of the public are encouraged to report election-related misinformation and disinformation through the independent Real411 platform at https://real411.org.za/complaints/submit.
“Your vote is your voice. Never underestimate the power of your vote,” Baloyi said.
The account above is drawn from SAnews (South African Government News Agency), the government’s own news service, at https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/vote-make-your-voice-heard-says-government, and is a government summary of the arrangements rather than the Electoral Commission’s own operational record.
