From youngsters aged 20 to seasoned voters who have been voting since 1994, including residents as old as 80, the Noordheuwel Bowling Club was expected to see nearly 4 000 people make their mark today, November 4.

Dressed in cool summer clothing, including plakkies , fishing hats and caps for the men, and sunglasses, skirts and even sunhats for the women, residents in the area turned out to exercise their democratic right to vote.

According to party and IEC agent Louis van Zyl, by 11:00, a total of 998 people had already cast their votes. Although thousands more still needed to make their mark.

When The Krugersdorp News arrived, residents shared mixed views and opinions about why they had decided to vote.

For 80-year-old Ian McLaren, the hope is to remove the ruling party from the Krugersdorp council entirely, arguing that the party does ‘very little for our ward, town and city’.

McLaren was also unhappy with the IEC, claiming that officials had not arrived early enough.

“I was here at 06:30 and the gates were not open at 07:00 as promised. Why weren’t they here at 06:00? There was also no electricity at the time. I am truly disappointed with the IEC,” he told The News.

Voters call for change

Tommy Ntsewa (58) embraced election day alongside his 26-year-old son, Lolo, saying he had never missed an opportunity to vote since 1994.

“It is in my veins,” Tommy said, arguing that although the current government has its faults and faces many problems, he still wants democratic government to survive.

“We are calling on all citizens, irrespective of your party choice, to vote for democracy,” he stated proudly.

Lizelle Grobler (51) was adamant that if people did not vote, they had no right to complain.

“I want co-operation from all – from government doing their jobs to the residents. Camaraderie is important for me,” she said.

Besides the unity she is calling for, Grobler, like many other South Africans, wants better service delivery, from an efficient and sustainable electricity supply to a functional and disciplined education system for all youngsters.

Brandon van Zyl (46) left the voting station disappointed after being turned away because he was not registered there. However, he questioned how this was possible, as he had voted at the same station during the 2024 national elections and lives directly across the street from it. He was ultimately directed to vote elsewhere.

“I voted here nationally in 2024, but today I can’t, yet I am registered,” he told The News.

The youth, however, painted a picture of a bleak future, stating that change was needed for the good of the country.

“The youth needs tangible change, and by making my mark, I feel involved in this process. It is my democratic right at the end of the day. I just feel like the current ruling party does not have the energy nor vision to meet the challenges of today or has the youth’s best interests at heart,” said Lolo.

First-time voters share hopes

Jaydlin Grobler (20), a first-time voter and Grobler’s daughter, added: “I voted so that the right things can happen in the country. Whoever is elected must ensure that everything improves. I am simply looking for cooperation and a better future that includes job opportunities.”

Brother and sister Shaun (23) and Danielle (22) Oosthuizen also expressed their desire for a functioning council, saying they were tired of hearing excuses.

“I am tired of promises. We need to vote for change to get the right people into the right seats on the city council. Service delivery is poor, and so many things are going wrong. There are also areas that are in desperate need of attention. Furthermore, there is corruption. Election Day is about making a choice for our future as the youth,” said Shaun.

Danielle said voting is her democratic right.

“People think your vote won’t change anything, but I believe it will. At the end of the day, if you want a say in how things should be run, you have to show up and cast your vote — otherwise, you have no right to complain. You have a say, so use it,” Danielle concluded.