DURBAN - THE SA Weather Service says it is expecting mainly fine weather conditions with no rain over most parts of KwaZulu-Natal today as residents head out to cast their vote in the local government elections.
Weather bureau forecaster Wisani Maluleke said conditions would become partly cloudy towards the evening. Temperatures are expected to be warm to hot, he said.
He said both Durban and Richards Bay were expected to reach a maximum of 26°C, while Pietermaritzburg would reach a maximum of about 31°C.
“In some parts of the province we are expecting hot temperatures especially in Ladysmith and Newcastle where temperatures are expected to reach 31/32°C,” Maluleke said. Maluleke said no rain was forecast. “In the province because of temperatures we are expecting in the region of 30°C in some areas like Pietermaritzburg, Ladysmith and Newcastle. Since people might be queueing in lines and standing in the heat, it’s very important that people should stay hydrated (and) drink a lot of water,” Maluleke said.
The Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) has stressed the importance of sticking to the rules when going to vote. Voters are to wear masks, and those who do not, risk being turned away. They are also required to take their own pens. However, pens will be provided and sanitised after every use.
The green bar-coded ID, smart card ID, or a valid temporary identity certificate are required.
Once inside the voting station, an officer will check for a voter’s name on the voters roll.
Once satisfied that a voter has the correct ID, is a registered voter and has not already voted, the name is marked off the roll. The ID will be stamped on the second page and thumbnail inked.
A ballot paper with the various parties represented in the area must then be collected, and the voting officer stamps the back of the correct number of official ballot papers (one per election) and hands it over.
In metro councils, including eThekwini, voters will get a ballot for a PR vote for a party contesting, and another for the ward for an individual candidate contesting the specific area.
In local councils, voters will get an additional ballot for a PR vote for district council.
Meanwhile, in an effort to get as many South Africans as possible vaccinated against Covid-19, pop-up vaccination sites have been set up outside some voting stations. The IEC said it had joined hands with the national Department of Health for the sites.
The department has set up about 1 000 pop-up vaccination sites next to voting stations across South Africa, where unvaccinated voters will have the opportunity to get the jab.
Janet Love, the vice-chairperson of the IEC, joined Dr Joe Phaahla, the Minister of Health, when the announcement was made. “The importance of the protection that vaccinations against Covid-19 afford all in our country is something that was a focus of the recommendations in the report of Justice Moseneke.
“The commission greatly appreciates the ongoing support we have received from scientists in the Department of Health and various other medical experts that enabled us to navigate the pandemic and implement the relevant best practice,” Love said.
Love added that while the IEC urged all eligible voters to cast their ballots in these elections, the IEC also urged all South Africans – whether registered or not – to take advantage of the pop-up sites and get vaccinated.
“It is important that voters understand they are not required to be vaccinated in order to vote,” said Sy Mamabolo, the chief electoral officer, said. Mamabolo said the IEC had, over the past year, been working with the department to work out Covid-19 protocols, all designed to contribute to the effort to reduce transmission rates and keep South Africans safe.
He said that for the 2021 local government elections, the focus had been on ensuring that the 23 148 voting stations did not become Covid-19 super-spreader venues.
THE MERCURY