Voters have left polling stations where ballot papers ran out.
Claims of over 10 voting stations around the country running out of ballot papers during the May 8 general elections have been confirmed by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
People from areas in Gauteng and the Western Cape took to Twitter to complain about standing in queues for extended periods only to find that the stations had run out of ballot papers.
Twitter user @helloandile posted a video talking about how she has gone to at least 4 different voting stations around Cape Town and none of them had any ballot papers.
No ballot papers in most voting stations in Cape Town CBD. 🤔 #2019Elections pic.twitter.com/N1DNedjYMH
— Andile Mdakane (@helloandile) May 8, 2019
@SlooPhaho tweeted about how she went to two different voting stations in Wendywood & Ulman Park in Gauteng and they both didn’t have ballot papers.
So. Both Wendywood and Ulman Park Voting Stations say they ran out of ballots. We were there at 09:30am. #SAelections2019 #Elections2019
— big head (@SlooPhaho) May 8, 2019
Disgruntled voters at the Ikemeleng Primary School voting station in Naledi were captured on a video posted on The Soweto Urban website expressing their dissatisfaction with the lonq waiting time and lack of ballot papers.
An IEC call-centre agent working at the Gauteng office told Wits Vuvuzela that they have been receiving calls from the different stations that have run out of ballot papers and they are working towards solving the issue.
“The issues that directly involve the voting stations are pushed up the priorities list, especially about people being chased away from voting stations and the stations running out of ballot papers.,” said the agent who did not want to be named.
Various voting stations also opened late and the IEC was forced to tweet out an apology for the delay.
Less than 10% of the 22 924 voting stations for #SAElections2019 are still being opened. Sincere apologies for the delays. Our staff are working hard to ensure service asap.
— IEC South Africa (@IECSouthAfrica) May 8, 2019
Voting stations close at 9pm tonight.
FEATURED IMAGE: IEC banner outside the Old Mutual Sports Hall voting station. Photo: Lineo Leteba.