Residents come out in droves to make their mark

The 2016 local government elections are underway across the country.

August 3, 2016

Melissa Hart, Leigh Hodgson and Puleng Sekabate 2 minutes read

Margie van Huyssteen places her ballots into the ballot boxes after making her mark in the 2016 local government elections, at Sunnyridge Primary School, on Wednesday.

By: GCN editorial team

South African’s headed to the polls to vote in the 2016 local government elections, on Wednesday.

The day was declared a national public holiday which allowed all South African’s a chance to exercise their democratic right to vote.

The GCN visited several voting stations throughout the city to speak to people and see how they felt the elections were progressing.

Tshifhiwa Mundalamo was thrilled with her experience in Ward 35.

“The lines were so quick and the IEC officials so helpful,” she said.

“I was also pleased with the turnout people didn’t let the cold dampen their spirits.”

Marius and Petro Kotze were also pleased with the service, “Our only complaint is that there was a woman who could not read or write, her family had to help her cast her vote,” said Petro.

“We feel she should have been helped by the IEC officials.”

Meanwhile in Ward 36 many voters complemented the Laerskool Delville voting station on its quick and efficient service.

“It has been the most organised election process I have ever experienced, hats off to the IEC officials who made it possible,” said Arlene Wilton.

Voters in the Sunnyridge, Primrose and Wychwood areas were mainly all pleased with how the IEC officials were managing the queues of people and the stations appeared to be running smoothly.

One resident, who did not wish to be named, was upset about the organisation at the Sunnyridge Primary School voting station and told the GCN they had to wait over and hour-and-a-half to get inside.

“It is totally disorganised,” she said.

The GCN entered the voting station and everything seemed to be running smoothly and the queue was moving.

Out of the many people the GCN met on their travels on Wednesday, Wychwood couple Violet (76) and Sandy (81) Naidoo were very special.

Not only were they casting their votes at Wychwood Primary School they were also celebrating the fact that August 3 was the day Violet accepted Sandy’s proposal of marriage.

They have been together for 61 years, 56 of them as a married couple.

Germiston SAPS officers were deployed to different voting stations to monitor the activities.

Brig Nkensani Lemba, the Germiston SAPS station commander, was at Ekurhuleni Primary School and happy with the manner in which the voters were conducting themselves in.

“Everything is running in an orderly manner, we are not looking for trouble,” she said.

“We have police officers at the various voting stations observing to ensure safety for all.”

The IEC’s presiding officer at the Germiston Town Hall voting station, Jacky James, said they encountered minimal glitches prior to the commencement of the voting processes.