Pretoria- The casting of a total of 20 255 special votes in the Northern Cape got off to a smooth start, said the provincial Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
"We have not received any reports of incidents from localities where special votes are being conducted," Provincial Electoral Officer Bonolo Modise said on Monday afternoon.
This as some South Africans have been granted the opportunity to cast their votes today due to the nature of their work or them being ill or hospitalised.
Of the 20 255 registrations for special votes 6 754 had applied to vote at voting stations. This kind of voting would only happen at voting stations until 5pm today.
IEC officials had received 13 501 requests for special votes that would be conducted at people's homes today and tomorrow. A total 412 voting stations opened today.
Weather conditions had also been conducive to the conducting of votes, added Modise who said they had received word of rain in De Aar on Sunday.
The province said Modise is prepared for Wednesday's municipal elections.
"We are ready....the material is already at the offices," he said. Six hundred and fifty-five stations will be in operation for the elections.
Earlier IEC spokesperson Kate Bapela said over 200 000 South Africans were due to cast their special votes including former Presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki as well as the Chairperson of the Commission, Dr Brigalia Bam and Chief Electoral Officer Advocate Pansy Tlakula.
