Community members gathering at Lower Zingcuka in Keiskammahoek, Eastern Cape, to protest near a voting station against an unresolved land claim. (Supplied)

• Electricity outages and lack of water supply caused delays in voting in the Eastern Cape.
• Some voting stations remain closed in the province due to community protests.
• The IEC in the Eastern Cape said it was frustrated by the closure of some stations.

Electricity outages, protests and lack of water were some of the issues that delayed and, in some cases, prevented some voters from casting their votes at voting stations in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday.

By lunchtime on Wednesday, the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) Eastern Cape electoral officer, Kayakazi Magudumana, said five voting stations remained closed due to residents protesting over service delivery issues.

The stations are Nokhatshile in the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Local Municipality’s Ward 2; Buhlambu in the Ntabankulu Local Municipality’s Ward 17; Maggie in the Port St Johns Municipality’s Ward 1; Sidanda in the Nyandeni Local Municipality’s Ward 28; and Mavundleni in the King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality’s Ward 28.

Magudumana said: “Residents in these municipalities prevented our staff from administering the voting process.

“It is painful to work hard for months for one to be failed on a matter that would have been prevented if these communities [were addressed].”

She added 32 voting stations did not open on time in the province due to protests and infrastructural issues.

In the Lower Zingcuka village in Keiskammahoek, residents blocked the way to the voting stations due to an unresolved land claim issue.

The residents were addressed by Amahlathi Local Municipality Mayor Nomakhosazana Nongqayi and the station was later reopened.

In the Great Kei Local Municipality’s Ward 2, there was no electricity on Wednesday, but the IEC and the municipality made alternative arrangements with a generator.

In the Dr AB Xuma Local Municipality’s Ward 1, an electricity transformer exploded and delayed the voting process, but the issue was attended to by authorities. 

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Magudumana said all voting stations in the Ngqushwa Local Municipality asked for water to be provided after an outage.

She said trucks were busy carting water to community tanks in various areas that did not have a supply.

In the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality, the IEC added two stations – Upper Gqumashe and Khayalethu – complained of a lack of water. The municipality attended to the issue.

In Mthatha, where there was a violent protest that led to many stations being closed during the special votes process on Monday, there were no major voting disruptions reported except by a community in the Ngangelizwe township.

The situation was quickly attended to by authorities.

In Mdantsane’s Ward 24, voters complained they were delayed by scanners that were not functioning on Wednesday morning at the Prayer Life Family Church, but the issue was later resolved.

Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane appealed to residents to allow people to vote.

“There is no need to destroy public property simply because one is angry. [People] have a right to go and [vote] for the government that they believe will deliver better service.

“Those who are protesting are opportunists,” said Mabuyane.