Soweto – There has been a slow movement of people in and out of voting stations in Dobsonville, northwest of Soweto, with IEC officials saying the numbers will probably start picking up after midday.
One of the voting stations with a substantial number of voters since the early morning was DSJ Primary School, where over 100 people lined up to vote. Young people are still the majority of those forming the queues at most voting stations visited by SAnews.
“History has shown us that people start coming to vote in the afternoon or late in the day. Most people tend to attend to their chores at home before they come to vote. Besides that, we have many voting stations around here,” said an official, who was standing at the entrance of the Presbyterian Church voting station.
Democratic Alliance Gauteng Premier candidate Mmusi Maimane cast his vote at this voting station shortly before 12pm.
Speaking to reporters after casting his ballot, Maimane emphasised the importance of voting in South Africa, 20 years after the country attained its democracy.
“We have to make sure that as many people come out to vote - it’s what our democracy calls for. It’s always good to come and vote in Dobsonville, an area which played a crucial role in defeating apartheid,” Maimane said. He was flanked by his mother and a child.
At the same time, African National Congress (ANC) stalwart Winnie Madikizela Mandela was scheduled to cast her vote in Orlando West, where her family lived for many years. Madikizela Mandela, who is still mourning the death of former President Nelson Mandela, raised her children in Orlando West while Mandela spent years on Robben Island.
Police are visible in all the voting stations and IEC officials reported no major incidents in all the stations SAnews visited in Soweto. – SAnews.gov.za
