Minister Ronald Lamola (middle) with officials from the Department of Correctional Services. Picture: Supplied
Department of Correctional Services (DCS) Minister Ronald Lamola has praised the country's correctional services for ensuring prisoners were able to vote in a safe and controlled setting.
Speaking following a visit to various correctional centres on Wednesday, Lamola said 17,129 inmates registered to vote in this year's national and provincial elections.
According to the department, the Kgosi Mampuru II Prison in Pretoria, in which convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester remains behind bars, recorded the highest number on registered inmate voters, sitting at 2,908.
"We have created a conducive environment to enable inmates to vote in a safe and controlled setting. I am impressed to see that the voting processes are going well, and I commend IEC officials as well as DCS officials who are on duty to ensure a smooth election," he said.
The DCS's Deputy Minister, Phathekile Holomisa was at Mthatha Correctional Facility in the Eastern Cape, while DSC national commissioner, Makgothi Thobakgale, was deployed to KwaZulu-Natal, by the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster.
The Electoral Commission (IEC) said 27,672,264 South Africans registered to vote in this year’s election.
The IEC said the network of 23,292 voting stations will open for voting at 7am and close at 9pm. It is important to emphasise that eligible voters who will be at the voting station at 9pm will be allowed to vote and not be turned away.
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