'Life is better now': Voter in Polokwane celebrates 30 years of freedom

Election day was off to a peaceful start in Juju Valley in Limpopo as residents came out in their numbers to cast their vote.

A queue had formed an hour into voting as young and old exercised their democratic right.

There was some police presence at the SpiritWind International Ministries Church more than a week after a violent clash erupted in the area. More than a dozen officers could be seen engaged in intense discussions with IEC officials amid voting.

A nine-year-old girl sustained gunshot wounds during the incident when both the ANC and EFF were campaigning in the area. 

Josephine Mamabolo, 31, said of the incident: “It was so sad. But anyway, it's part of life and we have to move on.”

Mamabolo said she knew the party she was going to vote for and hoped it would bring changes to the community. Problems in the area included lack of water, electricity and poor road infrastructure.

William Bosoma, 62, who also said he knew who he would be voting for, reflected on how life had changed since the historic 1994 vote, saying it had improved for the better.

“Life is getting better unlike back then. Now we are free and we see changes, which don't necessarily happen overnight but little by little.”

Weighing in on the recent violence in the area, he said: “I wasn't impressed because we have to respect each other's choices, even if they differ from ours.”

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