KZN Traditional Leader Bars Women in Pants From Casting Special Votes in eDumbe's Tholakele Area

• Inkosi Lungelo Dlamini turned away women wearing pants on the second day of special votes at the Dlamini Tribal Court in eDumbe
• The day before, the traditional leader ejected IEC staff from the venue in a dispute over the use of his ceremonial chair
• The latest issue on day two caused a stir on social media, as South Africans weighed in on the traditional leader's decision

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has spent a decade reporting on South Africa's political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online journalism.

KWAZULU-NATAL — A traditional leader at a designated voting station in northern KwaZulu-Natal has barred women wearing trousers from entering the polling venue on the second day of special votes.

The incident compounded a separate issue the previous day in which he expelled electoral staff over a dispute over the use of his ceremonial chair. The incident happened at the Dlamini Tribal Court in the Tholakele area of eDumbe, located in Ward 6 of the eDumbe Local Municipality.

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Independent Electoral Commission staff removed over dispute

On the first day of special votes, Inkosi Dlamini became agitated after IEC officials occupied his designated traditional chief's chair inside the court premises.

The confrontation escalated to the point where he ordered the electoral staff to vacate the building entirely. The standoff resulted in the temporary suspension of voting, leaving community members unable to cast their ballots until the situation was resolved.

The second day brought a fresh controversy when the inkosi began refusing entry to women who arrived at the station wearing trousers, citing what appeared to be a traditional dress code enforced on the court premises.

How did South Africans react?

The incidents drew sharp reactions on social media.

@intrepidesigner questioned:

"Who approved this venue as a voting station?"

@ezezimali asked:

"Oh wow. So is this free and fair?"

@pchrjza directed a message at the IEC, writing:

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"@IECSouthAfrica I hope you educate this man about the right to vote."

@lerumo479 remarked:

"Lol, you can't make this up. Local men are stubborn."

@ChimCham7 commented:

"We call for order lapho eDumbe."

Other stories about issues at voting stations

• An IEC presiding officer collapsed and died at a voting station in Mahikeng during the first day of special voting.
• A New Brighton man claimed that his elderly, ill mother was refused a special vote at her voting station.
• Late ballot deliveries left 217 voting stations in the Cape Metro unable to open at 8 am on Monday, 2 November 2026.

Source: Briefly News