​Thembisa Shologu
President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged South African employers to observe 1 November, the day of National and Provincial elections, as a public holiday and encourage the public to vote.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ramaphosa called on registered voters to use the opportunity to exercise their democratic right and civic duty by voting. 
"The President calls on all registered voters to use the opportunity of the public holiday to exercise their democratic right and civic duty by voting in this election that empowers citizens to elect new leadership and influence service delivery where they live."
The country is slowly making progress in its fight against COVID-19 has officially exited its third wave of coronavirus infections.
In this regard, the lockdown regulations were to Adjusted Level 1 Lockdown from Friday, 1 October.
Despite the decrease in new cases, the President urges voters to ensure that they adhere to the COVID-19 health regulations as they exercise their vote.
The Electoral Commission (IEC) says all 23 146 voting stations around the country will open from 8am to 5pm on the election day.
The public is encouraged to vote outside of peak voting hours, usually, around 7am -11am to avoid long queues and crowding outside the venue.
According to the Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) on COVID-19, voting may be extended to midnight to allow voters who presented before the closing time to cast their ballots as per the Local Government Municipal Electoral Act.
Furthermore, voters are reminded that they would only be able to cast their votes at the polling stations in wards where they are registered. 
In the event that voters may consider travel, they will not be able to transfer their votes to voting stations away from their designated wards.