Staff Reporter

More than 17,000 inmates across South Africa are expected to participate in today’s national elections, marking an increase in prison voter turnout compared to previous years.

The Gauteng province has the highest number of incarcerated voters, with an estimated 4,000 inmates registered to cast their ballots.
The country’s largest prison, Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Facility in Pretoria has 2,900 registered inmate voters.

Justice and Correctional Services Minister, Ronald Lamola has visited the Kgosi Mampuru facility to observe the voting process.
Lamola has acknowledged the challenges posed by the instability of the prison population.
“The prison population is not stable. They fluctuate, remand detainees, awaiting trial prisoners coming in and out.
“Some of them get released even before the voting date and so forth. So there’s been a lot of work done by the IEC to educate them, but those who could not do it are still allowed to come and vote here.” Said Lamola.

Despite having encountered delays from Independent Electoral Commission officials at the station, over a hundred inmates had already cast their votes at the Barberton Correctional Facility in Mpumalanga by mid-morning.