First-time voter Bokang Maleka is among those who arrived at Tsaroga Phoka Primary School in Soshanguve to cast her vote in the 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE) on Wednesday.
“It feels really nerve-wracking because we want to be part of the people that create change by voting. It is also nerve-wracking because I am not too sure if I’m making the right decision and whether the people we vote for deliver on what they promised,” the 19-year-old told SAnews.gov.za, ahead of the opening of polls, in the township located north of Pretoria.
Maleka was accompanied by her mother as they joined the short queue that was forming outside a classroom at the school located in block BB as Electoral Commission staff were putting the final touches in place ahead of the opening of the voting station at 7am.
Asked about how young people feel about voting, the camera-shy Maleka, who was dressed in a grey top and black shorts said based on what she’s seen online, young people are committed to making the right choice.
“With the buzz I’ve seen online, I feel like young people are committed to making the right decisions because I’ve seen people do their research on which parties they are going to be voting for in particular.
In the past, I think people were voting for just one party, because that’s what everybody else was doing. Now with new parties coming into the spotlight and existence, we can see what it is that they do through their manifestos and then make informed choices,” she explained.
She urged registered to vote to come out in their numbers and vote.
“For those who are sceptical about voting but have registered to do so, please just come and vote. I feel that people are too quick to complain, but they don’t want to be part of the change. It is very easy to complain about infrastructure and the lack of water and other basic services, but when it comes to being part of the change, some are scared to be part of the revolution,” she said.
While voting at the station only commenced around 7:20 am due to a network challenge with the Voter Management Devices (VMD’s), as an IEC official at the station explained, adding that voters would mark their X in the election. This was as some voters shifted in their red chairs and another asked if they should could come back later, to which the answer was to stay put as they would be helped shortly.
Like Maleka, 39-year-old Thabo Maleka is hopeful that his X on the ballot papers will come with change.
“I came out here to come and vote for change. We’ve been voting, but there has not been much change. I never (sic) voted for this current government; I’ve been voting for the opposition,” he said as we sat in the cool breeze before the clock struck 7am and the heat of the sun intensified.
For Baloyi, illegal migration, unemployment and crime are top of mind.
“Unemployment keeps increasing every year, so I came to make my mark and fire this current government and hire the people that will lead us and take us forward. I am voting for a government that will serve our people and not be in government to serve themselves or enrich their families,” he told SAnewsgov.za
He said serving the people had fallen off the radar.
“I have been voting since 2014, and now everyone who sees an opportunity establishes a political party. Today there are a lot of political parties; it has become a business and is no longer about serving the people.
“I would like to see a better South Africa, a country that is for South Africans, a country that is developing economically and is crime-free. Where there are jobs and opportunities, crime will decrease. We see a lot of crime because there are a few job opportunities for everyone,” he explained.
The future is in your hands
He called on young people to show up and cast their vote.
“This time it’s no longer about older people or elders; the future is in your hands. Go out there, get up and vote. If you did not register [to vote now], the 2029 [national elections] are coming. You still have a chance, get up and show up. You hire with your vote, and you fire with your vote,” he said.
Shortly after casting her vote, a smiling Maleka walked out of the voting precinct on the school premises as the queue, which had grown a little, became loud with banter as those sitting on the red chairs and those standing chatted away as several of them held water bottles.
“I don’t want to be biased, but I wish the right parties are in power essentially,” she said of what she hopes will be the outcome of the elections.
Ballots
According to the Electoral Commission, voters who reside in metropolitan municipalities receive two ballots each, one being a ballot to vote for a candidate representing a ward (ward councillor) on the municipal council.This may be a political party candidate or an independent candidate. The second ballot is for a metro council Proportional Representation (PR), for the political party a voter wants to represent him/her in the metropolitan municipal council.
Seeing as they reside in a township in the City of Tshwane, Baloyi and Maleka received two ballots each.
Voters located in local municipalities will today receive three ballots. The first two are the same as for metro, and the additional one is for a District Council PR where voters choose the 40% of political parties representatives to the district municipal council.
READ | South Africans urged to make their mark in municipal elections
The Electoral Commission has expressed readiness for the polls, which will close at 9pm tonight. –SAnews.gov.za
Source: Original report at SAnews.gov.za.
