According to the IEC's spokesperson in the Free State, Mmabatho Rasengane, they have noted threats of protests in towns such as Viljoenskroon, Marquard, and Kroonstad where there have been sporadic protests in the past months. Rasengane confirms that the Viljoenskroon Town Hall has been set alight in the early hours of Tuesday and that their furniture was also torched. She, however, says no ballot boxes and other voting material were affected. Rasengane says all IEC members are on high alert in these areas and that more members of the SAPS have been deployed to these towns.

She, nonetheless, alludes that special votes in the province have thus far been running smoothly, besides the hall that has been set alight in the farming town of Viljoenskroon.

Of the 66 000 registered special voters, she says they had a turn out of approximately 22 000 on Monday.

Rasengane says she is hopeful special voters will turn up in high numbers today and that there will be no more protests.

OFM News