By elections going well: IEC

"By-elections are going well... they are underway," spokeswoman Kate Bapela said.

 

"The biggest activity is voting, so I hope that South Africans in their various neighbourhoods will proceed to their voting stations and vote for their leaders."

 

By-elections were taking place in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North West, and the Western Cape.

 

A total of 63,466 voters were registered in the 65 voting districts. Eleven wards were being contested by 32 candidates representing nine political parties, and five independent candidates. One ward was uncontested.

 

Two by-elections were taking place in the Eastern Cape, one in the Free State, one in Gauteng, two in KwaZulu-Natal, one in Mpumalanga, three in North West, and one in the Western Cape.

 

Voting stations opened at 7am and would close at 9pm, except in Ward 11 in Bizana, Eastern Cape, where the voting station would close at 7pm.