The Election Commission said the number of challenges was minimal on the first day of special voting across the country.
The committee explained the special voting process to media at the National Results Centre in Midland on Monday.
The IEC says it has been able to open the majority of polling stations in the Eastern Cape despite non-election-related protests.
Of the 435 polling stations that experienced issues on Monday morning, only 107 remained closed, it said.
Update on the IEC special vote:
“Incompetence”
Deputy Electoral Commission chairperson Masego Shibli said the challenges faced by the Electoral Commission on the first day of the special vote had to be seen in the context of the 22,600 polling stations under the commission's control.
“While I report that the rollout of the special polls has gotten off to a good start, I must also point out that there are unfortunately some areas where we are unable to operate. This is not due to incompetence on the part of the Commission but because, despite all our planning, we have been unable to serve voters at 107 polling stations due to factors outside the electoral programme. The majority of the polling stations are in the OR Tambo area due to a taxi strike in the area.”
Shibli said the IEC was working with the country's security agencies to ensure that 107 stations were opened on Tuesday.
Security Features
The committee also explained the security features it had put in place regarding the special vote.
Shibli said the IEC was preventing citizens from voting more than once through the use of special voting applications or Section 24 (A) applications.
The Section 24(A) application, which was due on May 17, will allow voters to cast their ballots on May 29 away from the polling station where they are registered.
“If a voter applies for a special vote more than once, the second processing takes precedence over the first processing. Similarly, if a voter applies for a special vote and then applies for a subsequent vote pursuant to section 24(A), the section 24(A) authorization takes precedence over any special vote granted to respect the constitutional and statutory requirement that a voter may only vote once in an election.”
Shibli also outlined the process that will take place after the special vote is held.
“The special votes cast will not be counted today. They will be counted with the remaining ballots when the polling stations close on May 29. This is because the same verification that applies to general votes also applies to special votes. The special votes will be resubmitted to the polling stations in their special envelopes.”
Voting fraud
Meanwhile, the IEC also denied the MK Party's claims of vote rigging.
The allegations relate to videos on social media which showed ballot papers stored in a warehouse room in Hammersdale, KwaZulu-Natal, and which were allegedly being controlled by unauthorised individuals wearing yellow T-shirts.
The IEC said the video showed the commission's planning logistical arrangements and storage of election materials in preparation for Monday's special vote.
Deputy Electoral Commissioner Mosotho Mossery said law enforcement was investigating the incident.
“As for the incident itself, whether or not criminal charges will be laid is still being processed by both the commission and police and we will know in due course.”
The IEC warned the public about misinformation ahead of the second day of special voting and polling day on Wednesday.