Over 25 million South Africans expected at polls
With less than a week to go before elections, over 25 million people who registered to vote are expected to cast their vote, the largest since 1994.
JOHANNESBURG – This year’s elections also see at least 23 per cent of young people who will are likely to vote for the first time this year. Majority of these include those born in 1994 and after.
With the largest amount of votes anticipated the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Chairperson Pansy Tlakula says the election body is ready for the national elections scheduled for May 7.
On Wednesday April 30, Tlakula officially opened the Results Operation Centre (ROC) situated at the Tshwane Events Centre, west of the capital city.
The event was attended by several dignitaries, including President Jacob Zuma, diplomats, leaders of civil organisations, international observers and representatives of political parties.
“We are ready to capture the results and give South Africans the final result when the poll is done as we have done in the past,” Tlakula said.
“The centre will also be used to field queries concerning the elections from members of the public and political parties.”
The poll on May 7 will be South Africa’s fifth democratic elections since the country’s majority first cast their votes in April of 1994.
The Deputy Chairperson of the IEC, Terry Tselane, described the results centre as the nerve centre of the elections.
It has been equipped with 450 computers and wireless network to accommodate more than 200 concurrent users.
There are 10 Results Operation Centres across the country where the results will stream in at the conclusion of voting until the official results are declared. These results will come in from 22 363 voting stations that have been set up by the IEC across the country.
“The results centre is fundamentally about transparency, this year we have more than 31 media houses represented at the centre including 11 radio stations and international television centre,” Tselani said.
This weekend will also see political parties driving their election campaigns before voting day. All eyes in Gauteng appear to be fixed on the EFF, DA and ANC.
Source: SAnews.gov.za
