DA files complaint with IEC over voter management devices

• The DA has filed a complaint with the IEC over the commission's voter management devices. 
• The DA believes its supporters are being impacted the most by malfunctioning IEC voter management devices.
• The IEC was in a meeting with party liaison committee members at the National Results Centre in Tshwane.  

The DA has filed an official complaint with Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) over malfunctioning voter management devices.

DA campaign manager Werner Horn confirmed the party had filed a complaint with the IEC over the issue.

The IEC was this afternoon locked in a meeting, at the National Results Centre in Tshwane, with party liaison committee members addressing various concerns related to voting.

The devices were one of the issues the committee was expected to address.  

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Issues over the devices, which are being used for the first time in this year's elections, have seen some voting stations stay offline for hours leading to snaking lines.

The devices are used to track a voter's registration details. 

Horn explained that the DA was concerned that its supporters would be unable to vote because of the issue.

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The DA stronghold areas where the party alleged there were issues included: wards in Cape Town, Nelson Mandela Bay, Polokwane, and some suburbs in Johannesburg.

"It would seem the slow manner in which the voter management devices is processing data and going off line is causing huge lines to grow in DA stronghold areas. We filed a complaint with the IEC and we are hoping that it will intervene. The IEC said they have engaged officials so the issue is being addressed," Horn told News24.  

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Horn said in some areas there had been reports of people walking away after waiting for too long to cast their votes.

The IEC is expected to provide an update on electoral issues in due course.

Over 3.5 million registered citizens had cast their votes by noon on Monday afternoon, according to IEC chairperson Glen Mashinini.

Mashinini said that the voter management devices were functioning well. 

Voting station were expected to close at 21:00.