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217 Cape Town voting stations miss opening as ballots arrive late

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Ballot papers for special voting reached Cape Town late on Monday, the first day of special voting in the municipal elections. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said stations would open as ballots arrived.

Michael Hendrickse, the IEC's provincial electoral officer in the Western Cape, apologised for the delay. He said the delay was unforeseen, despite the best efforts of the IEC and the printing company that produced the ballots.

Hendrickse said the situation was fluid. He said the delays were across the Cape metro, but voting stations in the outer areas of the province worked smoothly.

He said the IEC would make sure that voters who applied for special votes could vote over the two days. He said all security measures were in place for the transport and delivery of the ballots.

Special voting runs on 2 and 3 November 2026. The IEC approved 2 655 067 voters nationwide for special votes. Election Day is Wednesday, 4 November 2026.

Key facts

Who
Michael Hendrickse (Provincial Electoral Officer, IEC Western Cape); Electoral Commission (Election management body; delays in ballot delivery); Independent Electoral Commission (election body, said there was an unforeseen delay in having all ballots ready…); Electoral Commission of South Africa (election management body; said it is working to rectify ballot delivery…)
What
The Electoral Commission (IEC) in the Western Cape said some voting stations had not opened on time for Special Voting. The IEC attributed the delay to an unforeseen delay in delivery of Special Vote ballots in some areas, and 217 voting stations in the Cape Metro could not open on time at 08h00.
When
2 November 2026
Where
Western Cape, Cape Metro, Cape Town
Status
Reported

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