The Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) was projecting a low voter turn-out in KwaZulu-Natal as protests took place in different parts of the province yesterday. One of the rooms at the Ntobeko Crèche, a voting station in Camperdown, was burnt yesterday, but voting continued at the station, as IEC officials used another room inthe building. Picture: Theo Jeptha/ African News Agency(ANA)
DURBAN - THE Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) was projecting a low voter turn-out in KwaZulu-Natal as protests took place in different parts of the province yesterday.
The province had 4 million registered voters and 4 940 voting stations, but after midday only 23% of the registered votes had been captured, although system glitches meant that the voting figures could increase.
The low voter turn-out was evident at the two biggest voting stations in Camperdown, an area which had been affected by threats of violence and intimidation.
The stations, located within the KwaNyavu Traditional Authority area, had been unable to operate fully because of threats from the community.
By mid-afternoon yesterday, the voting stations at the Inkanyezini Primary
School and Nobhala school had recorded poor turn-out numbers.
But at the Ntobeko Crèche voting station, community members braved the threats and came out in numbers, despite the station having been set alight overnight.
The station was set alight by unknown people. One room was gutted, but the rest of the building could still be used and the IEC staff were able to continue with the voting process.
The area has been under siege over the past few days, with community members taking advantage of the local government elections to try to force the provincial government to reinstate local Inkosi Skhosiphi Mdluli.
Mdluli was removed from his position last year by the provincial government.
Two youths, who declined to be named, spoke to The Mercury about the intimidation that has been happening in the area, and said a lot of people would choose self-preservation above voting.
“In the past few days there has been a lot of random gunfire and people are afraid, they will not come out and vote,” said one youth.
Thabani Ngwira, the IEC’s spokesperson in KZN, confirmed that a voting station in KwaNyavu had opened late.
“Voting station officers were not comfortable working at the station because they live in the area and were receiving threats, which made them feel unsafe.
“To resolve the situation, the IEC swopped staff around by sourcing personnel who live outside of the area to conduct voting station operations,” Ngwira said.
The IEC’s acting provincial electoral officer, Ntombifuthi Masinga, during a briefing yesterday said that in Umzinto the IEC had to find an alternative location for one of its polling stations after residents were allegedly threatened by some community members.
“We managed to open that voting station a bit late. It was the last one to open in the province, after lunch, because we could not get assistance to fill up trenches that were dug overnight leading to that voting station.
“Upon accessing it, we were then confronted with the threats that if we were to open it, the community was going to burn it down because it’s a community hall.
“So we have moved to another facility within the precinct of the voting station.”
The issues took place in the rural community of Mistake Farm, which is in Umzinto.
The community burnt items on the road and dug trenches to block access to the voting station.
An elder who asked to remain anonymous said: “We want to go and vote, but when the elections are over we will be the ones left with the problem with our families.”
IFP Umdoni chairperson Sifiso Ntenza said tensions flared up in the area after councillor Reggie Lungisa Dlamini was nominated again as the preferred candidate for the ANC.
ANC spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela confirmed that voting stations at iSulabasha, Mysieland and Mistake Farm had initially failed to open.
Ntombela said members of the public who were opposed to Dlamini being nominated as a councillor had dug up the road at Mistake Farm, but some determined voters were able to access voting stations and the issue had eventually been resolved.
Speaking to The Mercury, Dlamini confirmed that he and 13 members of his family had fled their homes and gone into hiding, fearing for their lives.
He vehemently denied being involved in any corruption and said that an attack on his home and an exchange of gunfire on Saturday between the protesters and the police had led him to flee the area.
“As we speak, I am looking for a safe place to cast my vote. I am not corrupt. If they believe I am corrupt then they must vote me out. People must be allowed to exercise their right to vote, and if it means that I am not re-elected, so be it.”
In another protest, in ward 15 in Jozini, in northern KZN, the road to the voting station was blocked, the IEC said.
The IEC also experienced challenges at voting stations in the uThukela region and in KwaMaphumulo, but these were resolved with the help of the SAPS.
THE MERCURY
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