Apart from minor incidents‚ voting in Western Cape goes smoothly

With just under two hours to go until voting stations close‚ IEC electoral officer for the Western Cape Courtney Sampson said that voting had gone smoothly.

Apart from minor incidents‚ the day had gone off without a hitch.

He said there were reports about a build up of long queues‚ but that these should not be viewed in a negative light.

“It is more negative if there are no queues‚” he said.

Anecdotal evidence and social media reports indicate that voting stations have been busy throughout the day indicating a good voter turnout.

Sampson would not comment on any voter numbers saying “I don’t dabble in figures“.

He said his focus was on ensuring polling stations operated effectively‚ rather than on voter turnout.

ANC mayoral candidate Xolani Sotashe‚ who visited the results centre in Cape Town earlier on Wednesday‚ said he was concerned about long queues and slow starts in some of their key voting areas‚ including Philippi and Khayelitsha.

Sampson however said that reports of late opening of stations differed depending on “who you speak to“.

“If you speak to a politician whose support is there‚ then it might be 10am‚ but if you speak to our IEC officials‚ you will hear that it was actually 8am or 8.30am“.

But he said‚ there was no reason to extend voting hours.

Sampson also extended his condolences to the family of an ANC volunteer in Struisbaai‚ who died today.

He said the 20-year-old man had died suddenly‚ apparently of natural causes.