1 ID scanner, 7 000 voters
2011-05-18 12:44
Pretoria - A voting station in Nellmapius,
Pretoria, had one ID scanner for about 7 000 voters, resulting in a queue about
a kilometre long on Wednesday morning.
Presiding officer at the Nellmapius Primary
School Tony Sibayi said it was a struggle to deal with such a big voting area
with only one ID scanner.
The Independent Electoral Commission had told
Sibayi to continue without scanning some voters' identity documents. This meant
election officers had to individually check the names against the voters' roll.
As a result of the large roll, some people
had started queuing at 03:00.
Some people complained about the elderly not
having made use of special votes earlier in the week.
"They come in taxis and push into the
lines," said 40 year-old Susan Jafta.
"They should have cast their votes
earlier."
Among the first to cast his vote at
Vukuzenzele Primary School was Junior Motswako, who arrived at 05:00.
"I am voting to make a community change,
like giving homes to people."
The aspiring motor mechanic said the people
in his community were suffering, and he hoped his vote would make a positive
change.
Most of the voters in the Nellmapius area
listed unemployment as an issue they wanted their leaders to address.
Nelly Morake from Mamelodi was overjoyed to
cast her vote.
"I was given a house and I hope for more
service to be delivered to our community," the 57 year-old said.
Not far from the Gatang High School voting
station, in Mamelodi East, lies an informal settlement. People in the area were
voting to get basic services delivered.
One resident, Cobra Mazuso, believed the
youth should stop "resting on their laurels" and be active in
bringing change to their lives. Mazuso said even though he had voted in every
election since democracy, it never lost its excitement.
- SAPA
