Elections 2024: SA voters rise early to make their mark

JOHANNESBURG - Across the country, sizeable queues started forming just before polling stations opened at 7 am, and Eyewitness News was there to hear the pulse of the voters.

Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal

The uMkhonto weSizwe party is aiming for a resounding win in areas neighbouring the former president’s Nkandla residence in northern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). 

Historically Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and African National Congress (ANC) strongholds, residents in Eshowe, Ntumeni and Nkandla are set to take to the polls in droves on Wednesday morning.

On Tuesday, numerous residents told Eyewitness News that they were leaning towards giving the MK party their vote. 

Party leader, Jacob Zuma is expected to cast his vote at around midday at the Ntolwane primary school - a stone’s throw away from his Nkandla home. 

Bloemfontein, Free State 

In Bloemfontein - the ANC’s birthplace, the electorate braved the cold weather to cast their votes early in the morning.  

Some queued up almost an hour before stations opened, telling Eyewitness News that they were voting because they were desperate to see change.  

“It’s important so that we can change the things in the country, it’s not going well, we all standing here because we want to see some changes - we just want it going better.” 

“We need a change in our country and I need a God-fearing government, I think it disappointed a lot of people’s expectations,” said another voter.

The election will also be the first where the ruling ANC is without its former premier Ace Magashule who is now the leader of a new party African Congress for Transformation (ACT). 

Vuwani, Limpopo

Longstanding frustrations over a police station that’s been under construction for over 12 years is one of the grievances Vuwani residents are taking to the ballot station.

This as the level of crime has soared, they told Eyewitness News.

Just a street away from the incomplete station, residents queued at the Vuwani municipal building.

“I came to vote so that load shedding can end. I also want our country to return to its former glory. We need the spirit of ubuntu in this community. So these are the challenges we have,” one resident told Eyewitness News.

Joubert Park, Johannesburg

What’s historically been the biggest voting station in the country welcomed voters in the Johannesburg City Centre.

Over the last five years, IEC officials have worked on reducing traffic at the Joubert park voting station, with more voting stations planted in the area.

But while the number of voters expected to cast their ballots at this station has dropped since the last national and provincial election, there remain long-standing issues.

Dirty running water on the streets, garbage left unattended and dilapidated buildings are a stone’s throw away from where voters made their mark.  

George, Western Cape

Sizeable queues started forming just before polling stations opened at 7 o'clock in Thembalethu township, in George.

The township is an African National Congress stronghold in a town where the Democratic Alliance enjoys a lot of support.

The elderly braved the chilly weather to cast their vote, one of whom is Reverend Siyanda Sijila.

"This is the time to make our choices to vote for the people that we believe can take this country forward.”

Greenpoint, Northern Cape

Residents of Greenpoint and the adjacent Diamond Park suffer from regular sewage leaks, caused by broken pipes and a dysfunctional wastewater plant.

Maggie Leshabane, a resident explains why she is voting:

“I vote because our children must work. The second is we must get houses and clean water. The roads must also be fixed."

White River, Mpumalanga

In Msholozi, just outside White River, long queues could be seen from the gate of Boschrand Primary School.

This is also where the treasurer general of the Economic Freedom Fighters Omphile Maotwe was set to cast her ballot.

Residents in the area told Eyewitness News they were optimistic that their votes would make a difference in their lives.

This as some expressed their disappointment at the state of roads in Msholozi while others said that they had been waiting for years for the government to give them RDP houses.

This is also where the treasurer general of the Economic Freedom Fighters Omphile Maotwe was set to cast her ballot.

Edgemead, Western Cape

It seems a large number of Capetonians in the northern suburbs also chose to get an early start this voters' day.

Between Goodwood and Edgemead there was a long, snaking queue of residents young and old.

At Edgemead Primary School, families came in their numbers. The voting station is also where Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis was set to cast his vote.

This resident says despite this voting station opening 30 minutes late, the process had gone smoothly.

"It was all fine. despite opening about half an hour late, everything went good, nice and simple."