Long before the first elections results make headlines, an army of workers is already hard at work behind the scenes at the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) National Results Operations Centre (NROC). Among them is 23-year-old Ayanda Maila, whose journey from Thembisa begins at 03:00 every morning.

Come election time, the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand transforms into a hive of activity. The venue is no stranger to big events, but the NROC is a beast of a different kind.

With about 800 visitors passing through the centre each day, the NROC brings together high-profile politicians, party representatives, political analysts, election observers and journalists from across the world.

Behind the scenes, an equally large workforce keeps everything running smoothly. From IEC commissioners, management and operational staff to police officers, security personnel and venue employees, every person has a role to play.

While strict security measures are enforced, venue staff ensure that meals are served three times a day, beverage stations remain stocked, and facilities are kept clean.

One of those people is Maila, who worked at the media centre’s beverage station when she spoke to Caxton Network News, serving coffee to tired journalists with a smile during her 12-hour shift.

She says the duration of their shifts varies according to the event, but while elections results are being finalised and the South African public follows the IEC’s live dashboard with a hawk’s eye, she forms part of an essential workforce that might fade into the background for many but without whom the whole operation would come crumbling down.

To get to work in time, Maila gets up at 03:00 at her home in Thembisa to heat up water to take a bath. She takes great pride in her appearance for work, she says. No 30-minute prep time and hastily applied make-up for this driven young lady.

Once she is done, she makes the commute from the Thembisa taxi rank to Midrand, a trip that costs her around R20, which she says is much more affordable than it would be if she were to stay and work in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, where she grew up.

“Back home I have to pay R80 to go to town and travel a long time because everything is so far apart. I would have to travel a long time to get to places where you can find work, and staying closer is expensive,” Maila says.

During the IEC’s event, she works from 06:00 to 18:00, ensuring visitors to the NROC stay hydrated and caffeinated.

“I love people. I enjoy talking to people. Some of the people I meet are so nice, I wish I could take them home,” she beams when asked what the best part of her job is.

While operating the coffee machine like a pro, Maila talks about her dreams.

“I hope to become a safety officer one day. If I had enough money, I would go on the Safety Management Training Course and build my life from there.”

The former Saringwa Primary School learner dreams of owning her own house and car one day. The twinkle in her eye, as she serves yet another coffee, shows that she might just get there.

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