Kiesers in Wyk 2 en 3 van Swellendam Munisipaliteit het die OVK se hantering van spesiale stemme bevraagteken nadat hulle opdrag gekry het om stembriewe in twee koeverte te plaas, waarvan die buitenste een hul naam en ID-nommer bevat het.
Nuwe vrae is oor die integriteit van spesiale stemme in Barrydale en Suurbraak is geopper nadat kiesers aan News62 vertel het hoe hulle tydens die spesiale stemproses moes stem.
Volgens Barrydale kiesers is hul name en ID-nommer op ’n blou koevert geskryf. Hulle is daarna drie stembriewe en ’n tweede, ongemerkte koevert gegee.
“Ek moes al drie stembriewe in die ongemerkte koevert plaas, dit verseël en dan in die koevert met my naam en ID-nommer sit. Daardie koevert is toe in een enkele stembus geplaas,” vertel die kieser.
Die kiesers bevraagteken nou hoe die koeverte later hanteer sou word en of stemgeheimhouding gewaarborg kon word.
“In hierdie klein dorpie sal almal teen sonop weet waarvoor jy gestem het as dieselfde persoon of groep albei koeverte oopmaak.”
Inwoners van Suurbraak het ook hul kommer uitgespreek:
“In Suurbraak was dieselfde geval waar ek ook een van die persone was wat op die special votes was en ek het geen aansoek gedoen vir special votes nie ons is n hele paar wat op die special votes was en nooit daarvoor gevra het nie.”
Die voorvalle laat ernstige vrae ontstaan aangesien gewysigde Regulasie 28C, wat op 14 Oktober 2026 deur die OVK gepubliseer is, bepaal dat spesiale stembriewe by ’n stemlokaal direk in ’n verseëlde spesiale stembus geplaas moet word.
News62 het die OVK om dringende kommentaar gevra oor waarom die dubbelkoevertprosedure gebruik is en of dit aan die gewysigde regulasies voldoen het.
Uitslag:
Volgens die jongste beskikbare inligting op 5 November (07:00) is geen uitslae vir Wyk 2 in Barrydale nog op die OVK se uitslagstelsel gepubliseer nie.
Die wyk bestaan uit drie stemdistrikte, naamlik Fortshaven Hall, Lemoenshoek NG Kerk Primêr en Vleiplaas Primêr. Met agt kandidate wat om die wyk se setel meeding, is daar tans geen bevestigde voorloper of wenner nie. Die finale uitslag sal eers duidelik wees wanneer die OVK die stemme getel en die uitslag amptelik bekend gemaak het.
Questions raised over secrecy of Barrydale special votes
Voters in Ward 2 and 3 questioned the IEC’s handling of special votes after being instructed to place completed ballots inside two envelopes, the outer one carrying their name and ID number.
Fresh concerns have emerged over the integrity of special votes in Barrydale and Suurbraak after voters described their experience to News62.
According to voters, an IEC official wrote their name and ID number on a blue envelope before handing them three ballot papers and a second, unmarked envelope.
“I was instructed to place all three ballots in the unmarked envelope, seal it and then put it inside the envelope bearing my name and ID number. That envelope was then placed in one single ballot box,” the voter said.
The voter questioned how the envelopes would subsequently be handled and whether ballot secrecy could be guaranteed.
“If both envelopes are opened by the same person, table or group, in this little town everyone will know by sun up what you voted.”
Suurbraak residents were also confused about the handling of special votes.
“In Suurbraak, the same thing happened. I was also one of the people registered for special voting, despite never having applied for a special vote. There are quite a few of us who were registered for special votes without ever having requested it.”
These account raises serious questions because amended Regulation 28C, published on 14 October 2026, requires special-vote ballots cast at a voting station to be placed directly into a sealed special-vote ballot box.
News62 has asked the IEC to explain why the double-envelope procedure was used and whether it complied with the amended regulations.
Outcome:
According to the latest available information on 5 November (07:00), no results for Ward 2 in Barrydale have yet been published on the IEC’s results system.
The ward consists of three voting districts, namely Fortshaven Hall, Lemoenshoek NGK Primary School and Vleiplaas Primary School. With eight candidates contesting the ward, there is currently no confirmed frontrunner or winner.
The final outcome will only become clear once the IEC has completed the counting process and officially declared the results.
