Developing story: figures and details may change as the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) updates its count of voting stations.

Special voting for the 4 November local government elections got off to what the IEC called a positive start on Monday, with close to 99% of voting stations opening on time at 8am. Cape Town was the notable exception, and the Commission reported two serious incidents involving election officials.

Deputy Chief Electoral Commissioner Masego Shiburi, speaking at a media briefing at the Results Operation Centre in Midrand, said: "The Commission has recorded close to 99% of voting stations having opened on time at 8am."

Cape Town starts slowly

The IEC said that at 10:30am only 10 of Cape Town's 116 wards had opened special-vote stations. That follows earlier reports of late ballot deliveries affecting Cape Metro voting districts.

Two incidents involving officials

The IEC said a Deputy Presiding Officer in the uKhahlamba district was hit by a car and taken to hospital. It also reported that a Presiding Officer in North West died after collapsing at her post. The Commission has not named either official, and the circumstances of the death have not been detailed.

Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said: "Notwithstanding these unfortunate incidents, the Commission is overall establishing a strong performance across the country."

The special-vote numbers

The IEC says 2,655,067 voters were approved for special votes: 678,525 through home visits and 1,976,542 at voting stations. Gauteng has the most approved special voters (480,721), followed by the Eastern Cape (401,971) and KwaZulu-Natal (348,971). The Commission has deployed 127,000 electoral officials.

  • Special voting stations are open from 8am to 5pm on both Monday 2 November and Tuesday 3 November.
  • Special votes are not counted on those days. They are reconciled and counted with the Election Day ballots.
  • Mamabolo has reminded voters that they can only vote where they are registered.

What we do not yet know

  • How many approved special voters actually cast ballots on the first day.
  • When all Cape Town special-vote stations will be fully operational.
  • The circumstances of the Presiding Officer's death in North West, which the IEC has not detailed.

Election Day is Wednesday 4 November.