ANC Wants IEC to Extend Voting Due to 'Faulty' Voting Devices, SA Smells a Rat

• The ANC is believed to have filed a request late on Monday to have the voting hours extended
• The ANC's move comes after the ruling party reported faulty Voter Management Devices (VMD)
• The IEC is expected to revert with a resolution in due course after saying it's considering the request

JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress (ANC) is asking the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to extend its voting hours due to faulty Voter Management Devices (VMD).

A News24 report a short while ago said the unexpected setback has allegedly affected more than 30 000 people.

It's understood the official opposition to the governing party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), has also filed a complaint with the IEC over the malfunctioning devices.

However, the DA appears to be against the extension to the voting hours, while the Freedom Front Plus (FFP) is keeping a keen eye on the developments.

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The latest reports have told that the commission is considering the ANC's request and should revert with a resolution in due course.

Those who have kept their ears to the ground since the start of the voting process have headed online in their numbers to react to the development.

South African voters air their skepticism

Some people concurred on the difficulty they, too, experienced when attempting to cast their votes due to the malfunction.

Briefly News takes a look at some of the comments below.

@MahlatseMia1 wrote:

"I couldn’t vote because their system never changed my address even though I registered and changed my address online but to my surprise I couldn’t vote at my new address."

@Matrixdot said:

"My wife left home at 4am this morning to work for the #LGE21. The same the weekend as well. Does the #ANC believe IEC staff are their slaves?"

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@XolilePlaatjie1 added:

"To my disappointment for more than 4 hour's the where not ballot papers. Welkom to Africa."

@kmosebetsi offered:

"Aaaai they gona do it this @IECSouthAfrica. Imagine it was @Action4SA making this request. They would have gotten SC to argue for them."

DA's Helen Zille allegedly mandhandled by cop amid voting in EC, opens assault case

In a recent related story, Briefly News reported that drama was the order of the day at the IEC voting station in Bethelsdorp near Gqeberha after the Democratic Alliance (DA)'s Federal Council chair Helen Zille was allegedly manhandled by a SAPS policeman.

Zille was at the Fernwood Park Primary School voting station to cast her vote on Monday when the alleged incident occurred.

TimesLIVE has since reported that the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) was looking into the matter after a case of assault was opened against the police officer involved.

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The 70-year-old Zille alleged the officer forcefully dragged her from the venue, twisting her arm in the process after she'd walked down the long queue appealing to people to wait.

Alleged incident caught on camera

It's at the same time ANC observers at the station reportedly accused the veteran politician of canvassing for votes.

Zille further claimed the cop instructed her to leave the premises before threatening to arrest her and placing her in the back of a police van.

"Zille, who said the officer also pushed her, was frogmarched out of the station," SAPS spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu told the external publication.

Source: Briefly News