Election officials prepare as special voting gets underway across KwaZulu-Natal ahead of the local government elections on Wednesday.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli has expressed confidence in the province's readiness for the Local Government Elections on Wednesday, while calling for peaceful, violence-free elections.
Ntuli was speaking after the presentation of the Provincial Election Readiness Report and the launch of the Provincial Results Operation Centre (ROC) at Durban's ICC.
6 million voters, 5 000 stations
KZN has registered 6,030,969 voters for the first time - the first time the province has passed the 6-million mark.
The province has established 5,028 voting stations (4,871 permanent, 148 temporary and 9 mobile), about 21% of the national total.
The KZN elections will cover 921 wards across 10 district municipalities, 43 local municipalities and one metro, with 26,633 candidates (66% men, 34% women) contesting 2,166 seats.
Recruitment of election personnel has reached 99% - 40,377 of the required 40,940 officials have been recruited, vetted and trained.
Bulk materials have been delivered and Voter Management Devices tested.
Security ready - 165 high-risk stations
Ntuli said comprehensive security plans have been finalised by SAPS and the Provincial Joint Operations Committee (PROJOC).
The province has identified 165 high-risk voting stations, with 124 of those in eThekwini.
He warned that no political ambition should be pursued at the expense of human life.
"KwaZulu-Natal must demonstrate that we are capable of conducting elections that are peaceful, free, fair and credible. Political parties may have different ideologies... but these differences must never become a justification for hostility, intimidation or violence," Ntuli said.
"I call on all political parties, their leadership, candidates and supporters to exercise restraint, demonstrate political maturity and respect one another. We must compete on the strength of our ideas, policies and service delivery commitments, rather than through threats, violence or the destruction of property."
Special votes today and tomorrow
The IEC has approved 362,878 special votes in KZN, including 151,429 home visits.
Special voting will take place Monday and Tuesday, between 8am and 5pm.
On Election Day, all voting stations will open at 7am and close at 9pm.
"These elections provide our people with an important opportunity to shape the future of their communities... I appeal to those who may not see their preferred political party emerging victorious to respect the outcome," Ntuli said.