Elections 2014 Smiles for some, frowns for others
IT was just after 2pm on a warm Durban Wednesday this week and all was well at Chatsworth’s Woodhurst Secondary voting station.
The queue of about 30 people to the ballot box grew at the back as steadily as it was processed at the front.
“The voters were here before 7am. By 1pm we had about 720 people who had voted,” said presiding officer Malcom Mariemuthoo.
He said there had been “quite a few young people”.
Among them was 18-yearold first-time voter Priyadarshni Govender, one of a few in her circle of friends who felt a duty to vote.
“I feel like it’s everyone’s duty to make a contribution to our country,” she said.
For fortysomething couple Matthew and Ashie Govender, the outcome of this year’s election would determine whether they will stay in South Africa or seek a better life elsewhere.
Voting, said Matthew, “is to get the political party that I would like to see in power — to see that we have a fair and democratic country”.
Ashie said they hoped the elections would give power to the party of their choice so that they would not feel obligated to leave. “We want a better country. We’re actually considering emigrating because of the negativity in this country. But if the voting goes our way, we will reconsider.”
She said they were worried about “the crime, corruption, obviously, and equal job opportunities irrespective of race”.
A few streets away, 79year-old Brijdeo Behadar fumed impotently as the presiding officer at Chatsworth’s Westcliff Secondary voting station explained to him that he would not be able to cast his ballot for the first time. Behadar had not registered to vote.
Walking out, he said he had not realised that he had to re-register as a voter when his identity documentation was changed eight years ago from a card to an ID with a barcode.
“I didn’t vote at all the times when I wanted to vote. There was no ID card. This was my first opportunity to vote. I was denied the opportunity. You want to have your say — you want to add your vote,” he said.
At Astra Primary School, Yogavathie Pillay, 66, waited impatiently to compare notes on her voting experience with her friend, Rookwanthee Juggunath, 73.
Both of them have voted in every democratic election. We asked to take photos of their thumbs and they obliged, Pillay smiling with both her mouth and her eyes. THE atmosphere at the Laudium Civic Centre near Pretoria was electric as voters showed up to make their mark in the elections on Wednesday.
Outside the centre, party agents made their final bid to canvass votes for their parties.
Enthusiastic residents marched into the centre, identity books in hand and with big bright smiles on their faces — they were there to “make a difference”.
Zane and Farieda Joosub said they were hoping for a change and had voted for the DA. “We want a better life for our children. This is why we are voting today. We are hoping for change and we want to live in a better South Africa,” said Farieda.
Sheila Matsaung said she