KERUSHUN PILLAY

BHUVEN Pillay recalls the buzz surrounding the first democratic election.

“It was an emotional time for me as it was the first time in my life that I had seen all South Africans united – irrespective of race, class and creed.

“I could not believe I was finally getting the chance to vote and many people around me thought the same. It felt like a real historical moment.

“We all thought that, for as long as Nelson Mandela was around, there would be hope, a new life for the poor and working class and that there would be unity and integration among people.”

Pillay, who was 41 at the time, cast his vote at the then University of Durban-Westville and has voted in every election since 1994.

“It is my duty as a responsible citizen. I have an interest in my country’s future.

“And it means a lot more for me because I had to wait 40 years for the opportunity (to vote).”

He said that growing up during apartheid was a horrible time for people and he grew tired of the unruliness.

“We were often thrown off buses and told to leave certain areas. We were also moved from our home in central Durban to Reservoir Hills.”

But Pillay, 63, who works in IT, has since become somewhat disillusioned by the promise of that election 23 years ago.

“All things considered, the government did an okay job. There were big challenges and the ANC were new to running a country, but I am disappointed.

“There is so much corruption and abuse of power in the government. It is so bad that I changed the political party I vote for.

“Sometimes, I am sickened by how the government wastes money and it does a lot of underhanded things.

“The last election showed us that people are getting tired of corruption and maybe in 2019 there can be a new party.

“The ANC is going in a bad direction now and it doesn’t seem to care about people.”

He said, in spite of it all, he remained hopeful that the ANC would able to turn things around.

“But so long as the party remains like this, I cannot vote for it. The ANC needs to stop the bad internal politics and start to provide for people.

“That’s what I’d like to see.”