Scrolla.Africa delivers all you need to know ahead of the 29 May elections.
IEC – The IEC is expecting around 1.6-million special vote applicants to cast their ballot in voting stations across the country on Monday and Tuesday. It’s the biggest number of special votes ever approved for an election. In Parliament, 1.6-million votes are the equivalent of 40 seats in the 400-seater National Assembly. Voting material being transported in the Mthatha region was looted in trucks that were taking the material to voting stations in the region. Voting stations in Mthatha remained closed on day one of special voting because of a violent taxi strike. Another truck carrying EFF T-shirts was also looted.
AMCU – The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, the new powerful union in the mining sector, has endorsed Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party. It’s a shocking decision by union bosses led by founder Joseph Mathunjwa, who had previously worked with the EFF in fighting for the victims of the Marikana massacre. Zuma was the president of the country when his police officers opened fire at striking miners at the Lonmin Platinum mine on 16 August 2012, killing 34 miners.
DA – Helen Zille, the leader of the DA Federal Council, cast her special vote at Pinelands High School in Cape Town, where she said her party would secure a clear majority in the Western Cape. Five months ago, the DA was a clear favourite in the province but unhappiness in coloured and black communities is fuelling the rise of the Patriotic Alliance. “We would love to get more than 50% nationally but obviously, it would be brilliant for South Africa if that would happen but you don’t live in castles in the sky, you do your polling every day and you know what the reality is … but I am satisfied that we will go forward,” she told the SABC. John Steenhuisen, the DA presidential candidate, welcomed Isanco and Ekhethu People’s Party who endorsed DA for the 29 May elections.
ANC – First deputy secretary Nomvula Mokonyane says it’s not over until it’s over. She took her campaign to Ward 10 in Kagiso on Monday where she did door-to-door visits checking on the readiness of special voters. “The mood is clear, and people are ready to renew the ANC mandate.” Earlier, Mokonyane cast her vote at Ward 22, Noordheuwel Country Club. Meanwhile, ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe cast his special vote at Freeway Park Primary School in Boksburg.
Pictured above: IEC vote collection box.
Image source: X
