The African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal yesterday criticised the early closure of voter registration stations in the Durban area despite an assurance by the Independent Electoral Commission to the contrary.

"The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal is outraged at the way IEC staff members conducted themselves at voting stations today (Sunday)," the party said in a strongly-worded statement.

"Despite the disturbance by heavy downpour yesterday (Saturday), which saw people trickle in to voting stations, some presiding officers in the province, particularly in eThekwini (Durban) decided to close voting stations although there were scores of people still queueing to register.

"This is despite the IEC's assurance that no one would be turned away should time run out," ANC provincial spokesman Mtholephi Mthimkhulu said.

He said the ANC therefore "demands that the IEC allocate another day to allow those who could not register" yesterday a chance to put their names on the voters roll.

"The IEC should consider the fact that there is still a high number of people who are unregistered in the province.

The IEC should not deny the people of KwaZulu-Natal an opportunity to take decisions about their future," he said.

Mawethu Mosery, the provincial electoral officer, said he was away of problems at certain stations in the province and his office has asked presiding officers at those stations to continue working.

"Some stations were working by 7pm on Sunday," said Mosery, adding that he was personally aware of about 20 stations, which continued to operate beyond 5pm.

However, he said the police would stand behind the last person in the queue when it was 5pm.

Anybody who came after that would be turned away.

"That is legal," he said. – Sapa.