The Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) expressed it readiness to hold the May 29 elections, highlighting that it has implemented measures to make the voting process more accessible to all South Africans, regardless of physical abilities.

IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo explained that working with the South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB), the commission has developed a voting aid, the Universal Ballot Template (UBT), to increase chances of confidentiality.

He said voting officials would assist those who required assistance on voting day.

Mamabolo announced that given high numbers of expected voters in London, the station would operate on May 18 and 19. London recorded over 24 000 voters.

Mamabolo said that more than 76 000 South African citizens living in other countries would cast their votes on May 18.

Mamabolo called on registered voters to check their voting station ahead of election day, saying the only exception to the general rule was that a voter may vote outside of their registered voting district only after notifying the Commission.

He explained that notifications in this regard would close on Friday.

As of Tuesday, about 199 092 notifications had been approved.

“Voters are to vote where they are registered. It is therefore appropriate that, ahead of the elections, we remind voters of the general rule in elections. That is, a person votes at a voting station where they have registered,” he said.

He highlighted that special votes within the Republic would take place on the two days preceding election day - 27 and 28 May.

The time of operations is 09:00 to 17:00.

Following the May 3 deadline, the Commission approved a total of 1 668 076 special votes applications, of which 624 593 are for voters who will be visited at their homes or places of confinement and 1 043 483 are for voters who will vote at voting stations where they are registered.

He said 335 4980 voters in Gauteng had been approved for special votes for home visits and voting station visits, KwaZulu-Natal at 320 010, Eastern Cape with 286 059, Limpopo at 159 800, Western Cape with 137 558, North West with 132 627, Mpumalanga at 126 112, Free State with 86 908, and Northern Cape at 83 504.

He reminded voters that in these elections, voters would receive the National Compensatory Ballot for political parties (blue), the Regional to National Ballot for parties and independent candidates (orange), and the Provincial Ballot (pink).

“We wish to remind voters to make only one mark against a party or candidate of choice. In other words, ‘One ballot, one mark’,” he said.

As part of the IEC’s final preparations, the Commission will launch the National Results Centre (ROC) on May 22. The national ROC will be based at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, in Johannesburg.