On Wednesday, there was complete disarray at two Western Seaboard voting stations due to issues attributed to IEC officials.
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At Blouberg Community Hall, voters endured waits of up to six hours with minimal communication from IEC officials. A local resident had to step in to inform voters of the situation as IEC officials refused to address them.
Additionally, there were no separate lines for pensioners or people with babies; everyone had to stand in the same queue for hours without any updates.
After opening late because officials had not arrived, lines were changed at 10am, causing a two-hour delay. The system then went offline, and officials attempted to contact the IEC to switch to paper ballots. However, they could not reach the IEC as the phone line was constantly busy.
Of the two scanners on site, one was non-functional and the other worked intermittently. Law enforcement and SAPS were called as residents of the typically calm seaside village grew frustrated with the situation.
At the CBC school in Parklands, voters faced waits of up to six hours. One voter described how, after waiting five hours, the two people ahead were not registered, causing the entire team to stop for half an hour to assist them.
At midnight, hundreds still waited in lines that extended down Parklands Main Road. Another voter reported that at Bloubergrandt High School, an IEC official asked people if they only wanted a ballot for the national vote.
In contrast, voters praised the efficiency at Bloubergridge Primary, Sunningdale Primary, Table View Primary, and Regent Park, highlighting stark differences in experiences at nearby stations.
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Picture: @thulanidasa / X