Special voters mark start of 2024 elections
Durban — The 2024 national and provincial elections got under way at voting stations across South Africa on Monday when those voters approved to vote by special vote made their mark.
Trained election officers from the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) will continue visiting homes and institutions of care on Tuesday (today).
The IEC stated that a total of 1 668 076 South Africans have been approved for special votes. KwaZulu-Natal has 320 010 registered special votes.
Agnes Gcabashe, who lives at The Association for the Aged (Tafta) in Durban, said she has voted since the first democratic elections.
“I am happy to vote because these elections will help the youth more than us because we are the elderly and we have lived a full life.
“I have also played a role in the elections as I volunteered at the second elections in Ntuzuma,” Gcabashe said.
Another resident, Jennifer Mbatha from Tafta, said she was excited to vote because she hopes to see change.
“I have voted since the first democratic elections and this vote is also for the youth because I hope that they will see change in their lives. Also, every time that I vote I am motivated by the fact that I have a voice,” she said.
Angamma Naicker said she was voting because she hopes that the issue of load shedding can be tackled.
Another resident at Tafta, Fatima Abrahams, said she is casting her ballot because the people in rural areas are marginalised and she hopes that the party she voted for listens and caters to the people in rural areas.
Pastor Gloria Govindsamy, an ex-ward 7 councillor in Welbedacht in 1996, said she hopes to see the youth employed and to see outreach programmes like sewing implemented and functioning.
“There were many strides that I made as a ward councillor and to this day the community is happy about the outreach programmes. I believe those skills helped them become independent. I am voting because I want to see that change in many more areas,” she said.
IEC spokesperson Kate Bapela said special votes will be administered in the presence of representatives of contestants and observers where those are available. Only voters who were approved for special votes were allowed to vote.
“After the voting process, the ballots, in their double envelopes, will be transported to local storage sites for safekeeping until they are reintroduced at voting stations on May 29 for counting,” Bapela said.
Bapela said that amendments were effected to assist with election planning and to counter any attempts at double-voting.
Nkosenhle Madlala, deputy secretary of the ANC eThekwini Region, said he voted at eMaplazini, Akhani Crèche in ward 44, where he grew up.
“This used to be an informal settlement that was in bad condition, now the roads are in good condition and it has improved since the ANC took over and the ward councillors did their best in improving this area. That is why I encourage people to vote,” he said.
eThekwini ANC regional secretary Musa Nciki said he was excited to vote in this ward because it is where he cast his first vote in the 1999 elections.
“I have also witnessed other people’s lives improving from building schools, taking care of the young and old.
“I believe that there is still a lot to be done and some mistakes to be corrected and we will make it happen,” he said.
Gearing up to cast their votes on Tuesday (today) are DA premier candidate in KwaZulu-Natal, Chris Pappas. He will cast his vote at Thembelihle Primary School, while DA KZN provincial leader Francois Rodgers will vote at All Saints United Church in Pietermaritzburg.
The ANC’s Siboniso Duma will cast his vote at Kloof.
The IFP’s Thami Ntuli will vote in Nkandla at Vumanhlamvu Primary School and former president Jacob Zuma will vote in Nkandla as well.
ActionSA’s Zwakele Mncwango will cast his vote at Pitlochry Primary School in Westville.
On Monday, the IEC in KwaZulu-Natal said all operations went well and no major incidents were reported.
It said it was aware of minor incidents that hampered the opening of voting stations on time at Harding ward 2, eThekwini Metro ward 68 and Harry Gwala, uMzimkhulu ward 5.
“All reported incidents were efficiently resolved and operations resumed without further delays,” the IEC said.
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