ANALYSIS | Could failure of voter management devices jeopardise introduction of e-voting in SA?

Despite low voter turnout, there were long queues last Wednesday in part due to the failure of VMDs (Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo)

Maxwell Maseko has been tracking the performance of Voter Management Devices (VMDs) since their piloting in 2021 and unpacks whether SA will see the possible introduction of e-voting following the failure of the devices in the 2024 national election. 

After they were piloted in the 2021 local government elections, Voter Management Devices (VMDs) ushered in a new era for election management in South Africa. The IEC viewed these hand-held touch-screen electronic devices as a game-changer for voter registration and the live-tracking of voters on election day. 

The devices would also assist in dealing with double voting. Acquired at a cost of millions of rand, they replaced old Zip-Zip barcode machines used since 1998, which could not capture real-time information.