Early voting began in South Africa’s general election Monday, as those who must work on polling day or who have special needs were given a chance to cast their ballots.
Around 1.6 million out of the 27.6 million-strong electorate were allowed to go early, according to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
Election agents will visit 624,000 people with mobility issues at home, while essential workers will attend polling stations two days earlier than the general populace.
On Wednesday, the rest of the country will be called to vote in South Africa’s sixth general election, three decades after the advent of democracy in 1994.
The vote could prove a historic turning point if, as opinion polls predict, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) loses its absolute parliamentary majority for the first time.
