Simone Nare, Kgalalelo Setlhare and Andile Mbele
On Wednesday, political leaders from across all political parties turned up at their local polling stations on the historical day of the national and provincial elections – to show that they lead by example.
In Gauteng all former Presidents and ANC stalwarts came out in numbers to cast their ballot.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile was among the first leaders to cast his vote at Kelvin’s St Johannes Lutheran Church around Sandton in Johannesburg.
Flanked by his wife, Mashatile arrived at the voting station to an excited ANC group outside the premises.
After chatting to the party volunteers and assuring them of a resounding victory, Mashatile was led inside where he cast his vote.
He later told reporters that he had been told that there were minor problems during the opening of voter stations but everything was moving smoothly.
Mashatile also appealed for political tolerance among voters from the different political affiliations.
A stone’s throw away, former President Thabo Mbeki also made the same call for tolerance after casting his vote at the Killarney Country Club.
Amidst fierce jostling by photographers, Mbeki cast his vote and appealed for unity.
“People should be allowed to vote for whoever they want to vote but after that, the nation must sit down and decide what it is going to do,” he said.
Earlier in the morning former Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe also cast his vote at the same station as Mbeki.
The start of the elections may have been marred by minor glitches, but the IEC says it is happy with the processes and how the third day of voting is being conducted.
IEC deputy chief electoral officer Masego Shiburi said the incidents experienced at the start of voting were regrettable but they would not affect the credibility of the elections.
Shiburi said the opening was not as smooth as hoped while admitting that “we could do better.’
The glitches he was referring to were delays in opening voting stations particularly in the Johannesburg region due to the late arrival of materials.
However, Shiburi said overall the commission was pleased that all staff members had reported for duty at voting stations and were already welcoming eligible voters by 7am across 23 292 voting stations.
“At 12 noon, election operations around the country reported good progress with minimal incidents. The electoral commission assures voters that adequate supplies of all material including more than 90 million ballot papers, are available and every voter will be assisted to vote,” said Shiburi.
Shiburi could not give an indication of the voter-turnout by Wednesday afternoon or reveal how many had already voted but was confident that it was all pointing to a good turnout.
Responding to incidents in the North West and allegations that some voters could be denied their democratic right to vote, Shiburi said the commission would provide more information in order to respond to the claims.
South Africa on Wednesday woke up to a new democratic way of voting with three ballot papers to elect the political leaders of their choice, at national, provincial and regional level.
This is the first time that the more than 26 million voters will also get a chance to elect independent candidates to represent them in the National Assembly.
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