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The Independent Electoral Commission in the Eastern Cape says all 4615 voting stations in the province opened at 7am without any difficulties.
Provincial electoral officer, Thami Mraji, said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon that presiding officers had all reported a good start and had confirmed receiving all voting material.
He said voting also took place at 26 Correctional Services facilities.
Mraji said several "challenges" had been dealt with. "The SAPS had to clear the barricaded roads and had to force open the voting stations where the locks were changed by the communities. The affected stations were: Bamboo Spruit, Jozana's Nek and Mngcunubeni in Sterkspruit," he said.
"At Kiba Voting Station people from civic were intimidating voters, POPS was alerted and intervened crowd dispersed. At Engcobo in Bhekileni voting station there were community protests which were dispersed by SAPS," said Mraji.
He said "another issue reported was some Presiding Officers refusing the voters who wore party t-shirts or party colours a chance to vote but the Provincial Office has sent an SMS to all Presiding Officers to correct the matter."
Mraji said some media reported on an allegation that at St Anne's voting station in Southernwood where 1400 ballot papers were missing and that the EFF has opened a case.
"After verification it emerged that the ballot paper packs of St Anne's were mixed with other materials of Coach House. The verification took place at Fleet Street police station which is our storage facility. After reconciliation was done all was recorded and all was found still intact and not tampered with," he said.
