Southern suburbs voters make their mark

Southern suburbs voters braved the rain and cold to cast their ballots in the local government elections on Monday November 1.

First-time voter, Rosanne van Reenen, 35, from Rosebank, cast her ballot at Mowbray Town Hall around 10am while the polling station was still quiet.

“I never voted previously because I thought just my one vote wasn't going to make a difference,” she said.

It was important to participate in this election because every vote counted, she said.

“I was well informed to make a decision; the entities I voted for campaigned well and, I am proud of myself for taking part in something big.”

First-time voter Hawey Ntobeng, 20, from Mowbray, also voted at Mowbray Town Hall around 1pm, when the queues got busier.

“I looked at how one particular party campaigned and that informed my decision in making my vote,” he said.

Mr Ntobeng said it was important for him to vote as there was a lot going on in the country at the moment.

Another first-time voter, Kade Kalell,19, from Woodstock, voted in a marquee opposite the Woodstock Town Hall.

“It was a lot easier to vote than I expected it to be,” he said. “With issues like climate change and the challenge of affordable housing, I feel like I need to make my voice heard.”

At Shelley Road Sports Field inside the hall, returning voters shared their thoughts on this election.

Salt River resident Waneta Adams, 40, said she voted for the same candidate that she chose in the previous election.

“My mind has been made up on the get go and I do feel they are doing better work than the ruling party.”

Nazley Rayner, 51, from Salt River, decided to vote for a different candidate this time around. “I changed my vote as I don’t want any corruption by any candidate, we want progress.”

Independent candidate for Ward 57, Kirsten Poking, 27, from Observatory, was at the Shelley Road Sports Field where she voted. She said a few voters had been turned away because they had not been at the correct voting station. “The IEC officials advised them to go to the correct ward where they have voted previously,” she said.

Ward 57 Good party candidate Shariefa Job, from Salt River, who was also at the Shelley Road Sports Field polling station, said the voting had gone smoothly. “The rain has hampered the process, though inside the hall, it was well organised.”

The Tatler also visited polling stations in Claremont at Rosmead Central Primary School and The Grove Primary school, but voters were reluctant to comment.

Presiding officers at the Mowbray and Salt River polling stations were unavailable to comment.