DEMOCRATIC Alliance (DA) leader, John Steenhuisen cast his vote at Northwood School (Ward 36) this morning, where he urged South Africans to make their mark in the Local Government Elections.

Steenhuisen, a former Durban North councillor, cast his vote at the same station he was first eligible to vote at many years ago.

“I was extremely heartened to see so many people out in the queue at the voting station, and in such high spirits. Everyone I spoke to there was in agreement that the only way we could save and protect our great metro of eThekwini was through the ballot box. There was also a real sense of urgency and belief that this year’s election could be a watershed moment – not only in eThekwini.

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“I would urge every South African who is eligible to vote today, and who has not yet done so, to put your shoes on, grab your ID and your mask, and head on down to your voting station right away. We dare not waste this momentum,” he said.

Government has also encouraged first-time voters to go out in their numbers and vote as the future of the country lies in their hands.

“The future belongs to the youth. You still have a whole decade ahead of you and you want to inherit the government that you envisage. It is important, as a young person, to start taking an interest in who is going to govern this country, the country that you want to live in, the country that you want to have a future in,” said the government communication and information system’s (GCIS) director general, Phumla Williams.