There were glitches‚ a fiery protest and rain‚ but many East London voting stations managed to open on time.
One of the first voters‚ Eastern Cape Premier Phumulo Masualle‚ gave the experience a thumbs-up and a large smile.
The day began with burning tyres and about 200 protesters in the streets preventing officials reaching the voting station in the Cambridge location‚ where the African National Congress (ANC) branch has‚ in recent weeks‚ been demonstrating and closing roads‚ even the N2‚ over the imposition of a candidate.
Police were on the scene quickly and soon after 8am said the way was cleared for voters to use the station.
Masualle‚ looking dapper in a navy sports coat and grey polo-neck‚ was first in the queue at the Beaconhurst Primary station and voted soon after 8am.
Big John Badenhorst‚ a former Buffalo City Metro ANC councillor‚ chairman of the finance portfolio and member of the mayoral executive committee‚ cast his vote in Nahoon with his wife Kathie as he entered the new world of not being on the ANC candidates’ list.
Stations were busy in East London’s suburban Nahoon and Stirling areas with 60 voters in the queue by 7am and 100 cars at the Nuttinghall station in Stirling by 7.30am. Joy Puchert and her daughter Joy cut a happy pair still in their dressing gowns and pyjamas.
In Duncan Village‚ disappointed Mluleki Mrawuzeli‚ 52‚ was turned away from Gompo Village station after being told he was registered to vote in Lusikisiki. He said he’d voted at Duncan Village in the past.
There was no electricity for the Zonokhanya Primary School station in Mdantsane. The station has thousands of voters on its roll.
Langelitsha Primary school station was slow to start after scanners failed to work. This also affected Masualle’s voting‚ but officials quickly got it going and he voted‚ quipping: “Your vote is your secret but everybody knows who I am voting for.”
That predicted rain started to fall in Braelyn and Amalinda in East London. Most voters seemed prepared and were dressed in warm clothing.
Many of the first people at stations were the elderly‚ such as retired Sterkspruit teacher and businesswoman Nomonde Languza‚ 75‚ who was so excited to vote that she woke at 3am and was at her voting station at 6am.
She is voting to fix water and power cuts which harm her B& B.
— TMG Digital/DispatchLIVE
The post Cops swiftly quell protest at East London voting station appeared first on HeraldLIVE.