Chairperson, I hereby move without notice:
That the Council -
1) notes the undertaking made by the Independent Electoral Commission to introduce Braille ballot papers at all voting stations across South Africa to allow blind people and those with visual impairment, such as the partially sighted, to cast their votes in private in next month's local government election on 18 May 2011;
2) further notes that the Braille ballot paper, which will accord people with visual impairment the liberty to cast their votes in privacy, is part of a commitment made by South Africa when signing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, which requires, among other things, that states recognise the right of disabled people to cast their votes in an election by secret ballot; and
3) takes this opportunity to welcome this innovative approach of the IEC as a crucial milestone for the country's visually impaired citizens.
Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.