Voting in Elections 2016 ends, vote counting underway
The casting of ballots in the local government elections has come to an end after 12 hours of voting across South Africa.
Despite some voting stations not opening on time, and strong winds that wreaked havoc in parts of the province, electoral officials say the voting process went relatively smoothly elsewhere.
Voting stations across the country officially closed at 7pm.
Voting stations have closed their doors. Tx for voting in #2016MunicipalElections SA! Voters inside stations will still be able to vote.
— IEC South Africa (@IECSouthAfrica) August 3, 2016
Vote counting is now underway at polling stations and is expected to continue into the early hours of the morning.
The IEC will be verifying all the results that are coming in before they are announced.
Meanwhile, the says the IEC in KZN says it has made 1 200 units of lighting equipment available to some KZN voting stations for the counting process.
KZN Elections Head, Mawethu Mosery says the lights will make the job of counting ballots easier for electoral officers in areas where there is a lack of electricity.
He says they have enough battery life to last until tomorrow morning, but in the event that they go out while it's still dark, staff will take a break and resume counting at first light.
Mosery says the IEC is still hopeful it will complete counting shortly after midnight.