/ 22 April 2009

The calm before the storm at IEC results centre

It is the calm before the storm at the Independent Electoral Commission results centre in Pretoria.

It is the calm before the storm at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) results centre in Pretoria.

The centre is set up on the Pretoria Showgrounds and will be the collecting point for party leaders and representatives, analysts, journalists, IEC officials and international observers this evening, once results start trickling in.

Voting stations nationwide will close at 9pm on Wednesday and the first results are expected at 11pm.

At the results centre IEC and party officials are setting up their computers and equipment for counting purposes, while the television stations are broadcasting live from the makeshift studios erected especially for them.

Newspapers have set up offices in the centre and journalists will monitor the election results as they appear on the large electronic scoreboard that reflects the results as they come in. The board has 10 grids for the nine provinces and the national ballot. Votes are counted at the voting station and then fed to the national results centre. Each province has its own results centre where the provincial results will be displayed.

About 100 officials and security personnel have descended on the dining area, where they are eating spaghetti, meat and vegetables washed down with soft drinks. Although wine glasses are arranged at the bar area, alcohol will only be served later.

Some officials are whiling their time by having coffee and checking their Facebook profiles, while others are having last-minute meetings for final arrangements.

Party representatives were briefed by IEC chief executive Pansy Tlakula on Wednesday morning to explain the processes that will take place at the results centre.

The IEC is expected to give feedback on the voting across the country at a lunchtime briefing.

”Everything is peaceful, tranquil, harmonious”
Meanwhile, IEC chairperson Brigalia Bam said the elections got off to a good start with a carnival mood prevailing.

Briefing the media for the first time since South Africans began casting their votes, Bam said she was happy that all polling stations were operational.

”Everything is peaceful, tranquil and harmonious, that is the good news.”

Bam said there had been no violence, threats or intimidation reported.

Almost all of the 19 726 stations opened on time.

However, some bad news had crept in which Bam said was an unfortunate and new element to the normally ”wonderful tradition” of voting.

”There are a few criminal changes,” she said.