Amid community uncertainty, Khutsong resident stresses importance of voting in polls

JOHANNESBURG - As the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) wraps up day one of special votes, some Khutsong residents on the West Rand have spent the day trying to convince community members to vote on Wednesday.

Several people have told Eyewitness News that there’s no point in voting as they continue grappling with unemployment, poor service delivery and the lack of roads.

Eyewitness News spent the day at the Maranatha Reformed Church of Christ, where former Finance Minister Des van Rooyen voted on Monday afternoon.

At least 40 people cast their votes at the station on Monday, with over half of them marking the ballot paper in the comfort of their homes.

Special votes got off to a slow start at the IEC’s voting station at the Maranatha Church of Christ, with some showing up without their ID documents, while some were simply not registered to vote.

Several residents told Eyewitness News that they were conflicted on whether they should vote on Wednesday.

But community member, Lebogang Molebatsi, took it upon herself to plead with her neighbours to visit their local voting station on Wednesday.

"I think everyone must go cast their vote so that when they feel frustrated, they can console themselves with the fact that they voted. A lot is happening in our country, and we all don’t know what to do."

Two elderly women who weren’t registered for special votes pleaded with IEC officials at the Maranatha Reformed Church of Christ to cast their votes on Monday.