Question NW1631 to the Minister of Home Affairs
08 June 2018 - NW1631
Dreyer, Ms AM to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(1)What additional steps are in place to accommodate disabled voters who want to vote and/or register when the voting station is not disabilities friendly? (2) Will kerbside assistance be given to disabled voters on registration and voting days?
Reply:
1. The Electoral Commission provides a wheel-chair friendly voting compartment for those voters who use wheel-chairs as well as the braille Universal Ballot Template for those voters who are braille literate.
Furthermore the Electoral Commission regularly conducts voting station facilities surveys to assess the availability of key facilities which include disability accessibility to its voting stations. In ensuring accessibility of the voting stations by disabled voters, the Electoral Commission shares the outcome of the voting stations facilities survey with state and other landlords so that the latter may improve the quality and extent of amenities at voting stations including access for disabled voters.
Additionally, voters who are physical infirm to the extent that they are unable to present themselves at voting stations for either registration or voting may apply for registration at home or place of confinement and/or a special vote at home or place of confinement.
2. Kerbside assistance to disabled voters is provided by voting station staff in terms of Section 39 of the Electoral Act (Act 27 of 1998).