Elderly people in Saulsville who could not cast their vote during the second and final day of special voting on Tuesday said they would come back to their voting stations on Wednesday, along with all the other members of the public.
On Tuesday, TimesLIVE Premium visited voting stations in Saulsville as people cast their votes at their respective voting stations and some at home.
While a few came out with smiles from the Mahlahle voting station and Kingdom Life orphanage, others were disappointed as they were turned away because they had not applied for special voting.
Patrick Ngobeni was limping as he walked out of the Kingdom Life voting station and expressed his disappointment and confusion.
“They said tomorrow. I will come back tomorrow. I wanted to vote today, I just came from a funeral and they are telling me that I must come back tomorrow. They had said they would come to my house, but now I am surprised when they say I should come tomorrow,” he said.
At the same station, Maggie Motaung, 68, also couldn't cast her special vote.
“I think I hadn't registered so they said I must come back tomorrow because today it's special votes, so I will come back tomorrow,” she said.
Reflecting on how important the 1994 elections were, Motaung said she was pregnant when she cast her vote. She said this election was just as important as the one back then.
“Too much, they are even more important. In the 1994 elections we were still in the dark. Now we are in the light and when we see mistakes we can speak out. We are free,” she said.
Motaung is expecting the new government to fix the challenges being faced by South Africans and come up with changes.
Hlamalani Mnisi was also turned back.
“I didn't vote because I didn't know that there is special voting, I didn't register. The fault is mine. I came here and they explained it to me properly. Tomorrow I am definitely coming back,” she said.
Mnisi wants the government to create jobs.
“They should create jobs for our children and get rid of foreigners so that we can live on our own. Having 10 children in the house, can you then invite 100 more children to come and do as they please? Drugs are too much, it's unmanageable. Everyone is doing as they please. Things are ruined. Democracy is democracy, but we are no longer enjoying it.”
She expressed her love for the ANC.
“I love the ANC because it has worked for us and I will vote for it. All these people are hungry,” she said, referring to the new political parties.
“It's better for those who have worked. They will fix as they go where there are faults,” she said. The 62-year-old believes that the ANC will do better.
“I am going to vote tomorrow. Ramaphosa is the one.”
“They [the ANC] have good hearts. Look at children going to school for free. People are getting grants and RDP houses. People are no longer carrying [dom] passes like before, things have changed. There is just a lack here and there, but these other ones are ruining things. I will still vote for ANC. Even if I live to 100 years, I will still vote for ANC,” she said.
Merlin Mamafa also expressed concern about foreigners in the country.
“We need changes,” she said.
Mamafa said life has been difficult since the DA took over the city of Tshwane.
“The DA has increased municipal rates and taxes, we don't even have street lights,” she added.
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