Residents of Kliptown have expressed great joy with the voting process at Khayalethu voting station on November 4.

Community members who spoke to Soweto Urban shared that the process was quick and easy, with sufficient assistance from IEC officials.

A seasoned voter, Olga Lala from Kliptown, went straight to the voting station to cast her vote after her hospital check-up.

ALSO READ: #2026Localelections: Soweto residents brave queues at Emdeni Secondary School for local elections

Lala said that, as tired as she was, she had to go and vote, and she was glad that the process was fast.

She said pressing issues, such as unemployment affecting the youth, motivated her to vote.

“A lot of things are not going well. Our youth is unemployed, the level of crime, drugs and substance abuse are extremely high, and I hope this will change for the better.”

A second-time voter, Xedela Naliphi from Angola informal settlement, could not vote during the 2024 national elections after misplacing his ID.

He said he could not miss another election.

ALSO READ: #2026Localelections: Soweto voters wait hours in slow Protea Glen election queues

“I’ve voted for the PA. My expectation is to at least get a job. I know the PA has been assisting us, even now with the project to revamp the stadium, where we got an opportunity to work.”

He shared that he had to arrange for a temporary ID to be able to vote on the day.

Voices from the queues

First-time voter Thando Wca said she voted on November 3 during the special votes.

Wca lives at the container houses behind the railway in Kliptown. She said her mother had been waiting for an RDP house for years.

“During the last election, she was promised a house. To date, we still live in a container home,” she continued.

“My only plea to government is to give us houses and clean running water,” Wca concluded.