Author: Alex Mitchley, Nicole McCain, Sithandiwe Velaphi, Nkosikhona Duma, Iavan Pijoos, Lisalee Solomons and Muhammad Hussain

On Election Day, South Africa experienced various disruptions at polling stations, affecting the voting process. From service delivery protests in the Eastern Cape to issues with voter management devices in the Western Cape, challenges were faced nationwide. In the Eastern Cape, protests led to the closure of five voting stations, delaying the voting process. In the Western Cape, glitches in the voter management devices caused long queues. Amidst these challenges, confrontations at certain voting stations were also reported. Meanwhile, in the North West, incidents of obstructing IEC officials and theft of IEC property were reported. In Gauteng, late ballot paper…