South Africans who will not be able to vote on Wednesday will cast their votes on Monday, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said.

The special votes system, scheduled to happen Monday and Tuesday, is mainly for the physically disabled, pregnant women, election officials and security force members who will be on duty on election day.

Those who will be temporarily out of the country on Wednesday for either business or pleasure also qualify.

But only people who are registered to cast a special vote will be allowed to do so.

The deadline for registration closed on 27 March.