KwaZulu-Natal's preliminary voter turnout has been reported at 48.7%, surpassing the national average of 45.8%. Provincial electoral officer Ntombifuthi Masinga stated that the figures are provisional, with only 18% of the province's results captured and 12% audited. This puts KwaZulu-Natal 2.9 percentage points ahead of the national average. However, Masinga noted that outstanding results could still change the picture.
The KwaZulu-Natal electoral commission has expressed satisfaction with the voter turnout, thanking residents for participating in the voting process. Masinga mentioned that while they had hoped to exceed the 50% mark, they are still awaiting the capture of all results. The province has a total of 5,028 voting stations. The commission is currently focusing on capturing and auditing results.
According to Masinga, an independent firm of auditors is verifying that results entered into the IEC's system match those from voting stations. This process must be completed before results can appear on the public dashboard. Political parties and independent candidates have until 5 pm on Friday to lodge section 65 objections concerning aspects of the process that may have compromised the integrity of results at a voting station.
Masinga explained that a panel of lawyers is assisting the commission with investigations into objections. These objections must be dealt with before results are announced. The commission plans to announce results on Sunday, after resolving the objections lodged with it. This will ensure that all concerns are addressed and that the results are accurate.
The commission's focus is now on capturing and auditing results, with 18% of results captured and 12% audited so far. Masinga encouraged political parties to compare their records with the commission's final results, as their agents were allowed to photograph result slips at voting stations and send them to their parties' results centres.
The process of lodging objections and investigating concerns is a crucial step in ensuring the integrity of the election results. Masinga emphasized that the commission will thoroughly deliberate on the objections before announcing the final results. This will help maintain transparency and trust in the electoral process.
The KwaZulu-Natal electoral commission's announcement of results is expected on Sunday, after completing the necessary investigations and resolving objections. The commission's efforts to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the results will be crucial in maintaining public trust and confidence in the electoral process.
Key points
- KwaZulu-Natal's voter turnout stands at 48.7%, above the national average of 45.8%.
- The commission plans to announce results on Sunday, after resolving objections.
- Political parties have until 5 pm on Friday to lodge section 65 objections concerning aspects of the process.
