Vote counting continues in the Zululand region
Counting for the Big Five Hlabisa municipality has however been completed
As the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) enters the second day of vote counting, KwaZulu-Natal is currently (10am today) at 54% completion with municipalities such as uMhlathuze, uMlalazi, Jozini and Mtubatuba still below 40% completion.
Counting for the Big Five Hlabisa municipality has however been completed with the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leading at 55.6% followed by the African National Congress (ANC) with 33.17% and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) at 3.4%.
While counting is progressing, there has been major concern over the poor voter turnout during these local government elections.
KZN, together with the Western Cape and Northern Cape, is one of only three out of nine provinces which breached the 50% response of registered voters who made their mark on Election Day on Monday.
‘As predicted, preliminary figures show a significant drop in overall voter turn-out. This year 52% of KwaZulu-Natal voters went to the polls compared to the 2016 number of 61%.
‘This year’s figures point to a 10% decline but it gives hope that with more intensive engagement of the voters, that decline can be halted,’ KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala said in a statement on Tuesday.
Zikalala commended those who cast their votes but emphasised the need to woe more young people in the next elections.
‘Going forward it is clear we will require greater focus on young people who are first time voters to remind them that they have a stake in the future of this country.
‘As leaders it is our duty to help reverse this trend of non-voting and to encourage voters to exercise this right which is central to consolidating the democratic gains,’ said the Premier.
