The elation that marked the 1994 elections was mostly absent on Johannesburg’s West Rand on Wednesday, 10 years later, when the Mail & Guardian Online visited the area. Voting got off to a punctual start and queues, although long, did not resemble the kilometres of people waiting to cast their ballots in the first election.
Northern Krugersdorp is still a staunchly Afrikaans area — older men wear the traditional long socks and hats associated with farmers. Outside the Rant en Dal school two lone New National Party posters were suspended from light poles. Two police officers lounged in plastic chairs and the sound of birds’ chirping filled the air.
It wasn’t surprising, considering the mostly white community, to see only three black people in the short queue. Not even 100m long, it was moving swiftly. Voters returning to their cars were heard to remark: “That was very quick.”
“We expect a good opposition, we hope we get it. There’s no way we’ll win. It doesn’t matter who, as long as it’s a good opposition. We are expecting a surprise for the ANC [African National Congress],” said Johan de Waal while his wife nodded her head in agreement. She didn’t vote last time, because of the “gemors” (mess). She added that “hulle het gelieg en gesteel” (they lied and they stole).
The female pensioner standing in front of them, while not wanting to be named, was happy to talk about taxes on pensioners.
“I got a 2% increase on my pension, but medical aid went up 15%. I can’t manage. A lot of people can’t buy meat,” she said before adding that taxes on pensions should be cut in half and pension payouts should not be taxed at all.
Paul Libakeng, standing near the back of the queue, said: “I feel great … I’m waiting to see what’s going to happen.”
Employment, housing and education were at the forefront of his concerns. He also expressed disappointment at being marginalised by the ANC.
“Our government is telling us we’ll get everything. They never do it, that promise.”
His wife, Manyana Libakeng, agreed with him. Yet this year the couple will again be voting ANC.
“Everything is fine, except that we are so busy,” said the voting station’s presiding officer, Neo Mosito, while she double-checked ID books at the front of the queue.
A few kilometres away, the queue at Hoërskool Die Adelaar, in Witpoortjie, was at least four times the length of the queue at Rant en Dal. The presiding officer, Juan Gerber, said that by 10am 720 people had voted with another 3 000 to come.
While the atmosphere was cordial, people seemed less friendly and less willing to talk.
The Viljoen family were happy to comment. Their biggest concerns? Crime and arrogant traffic officers. Their 10-year-old son wanted to know: “If we can’t trust traffic cops and police, who can we trust?”
Rosemary Piket was also willing to talk, saying she had nothing to hide, except who she had voted for in 1999.
“That’s my prerogative.”
Crime again was a key issue. A neighbour’s house was broken into three times in one month and another had a car broken into six times in the space of a year.
Standing behind her was Miriam Moletsane, who said: “South Africa must change completely towards a democracy.”
Outside the school, a few political posters kept William O’Reilly company at his hotdog stand. His business was hampered on Wednesday by a boerewors stand complete with cooldrink and tea and coffee inside the school.
“It’s not as busy as it was in previous years. Previously the queue was kilometres long,” he said.
The area consists mostly of plots and is only a few kilometres away from a squatter camp spilling over into Main Reef Road. A large sign on the gate of a plot proclaimed: “No cars or spare parts for sale. Trespassers will be shot.”
Florida Park contrasts sharply with Witpoortjie. A traditionally white middle-class area, the high school is attended by mainly coloured pupils from surrounding areas but the queue was made up of middle-class whites and domestic workers.
Elaine Powell, the presiding officer, was stressed and harassed but pleased that she had managed to shorten the queue by two-thirds after dividing the roll alphabetically. She says that when she got there at 5am to set up, there were already two women in the street waiting.
By 11am, 530 voters had made their mark with another 2 500 on the roll to come. The voting centre had only turned down one person, because the voter had documents that electoral officers could not recognise.
“I am absolutely astonished at the turn-out today,” she said as she inspected the queue from the school hall window before assisting a voter who couldn’t find the exit sign.
Standing in the queue was André Koekemoer, who said: “A chocolate mousse and a milkshake would go down well.”
He said: “By casting my vote, I hope to bring a change. The government should be more worried about his own [sic] country and stop dictating if his own country is falling apart.”
Linda Berry, a first-time voter, said that by voting she hoped to have more of a say over what happens in South Africa — which is why people were contentedly queuing, to exercise their civic duty on an otherwise quiet election day.
DA, ANC supporters proudly vote
Meanwhile, reports Mmanaledi Mataboge, the Democratic Alliance’s willingness to stand firm in building a strong opposition indicates bravery and is keeping its supporters loyal.
These were the views of Jared Coetzer (23), a student at the Rand Afrikaans University, who voted for the party in Saxonwold on Wednesday. He said he was proud of his choice.
“This is the same party I voted for in 1999,” he said. “I think it’s good that they are standing up and creating a good opposition party.”
Coetzer is one of many South Africans who, in this year’s elections, have been allowed to vote outside their provinces. He is from Stellenbosch in the Western Cape and cast his vote for the official opposition in Gauteng.
The Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) arrangements were user-friendly, according to Coetzer.
“I phoned them this morning to find the nearest voting station and they sent me here,” he said.
Coetzer said this year’s elections were interesting for him because — unlike in 1999 — he now had a better understanding of politics in the country.
“I’ve been a lot more aware of what’s happening around. I’m very up to date with all the policies and party politics,” he said.
He hoped the DA would do well in the elections.
“I’m quite excited and ready to see what’s going to happen from here.”
On the other side of Johannesburg, while eligible voters were casting their votes, Timothy Khosa (26), a security guard at Professional Protection Services, was working in the street next to Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown.
He was supposed to cast a special vote on Tuesday because of his work, but he couldn’t.
“I can’t do anything because I didn’t register,” he said regretfully. Khosa said he lost his identity document in October last year and could not find a new one in time. He is from Thohoyandou in Limpopo.
“It’s painful because this is the second time I miss voting.”
In 1999 Khosa did not vote because he was registered in his hometown and no arrangements were made for people to vote outside their provinces.
If he were registered, Khosa said, he would vote for only one party.
“I would vote for the ANC [African National Congress], it’s no secret,” he said. “I won’t give my vote to Mangosuthu [Buthelezi, leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party] because he will only concentrate on his Kwazulu-Natal province.”
He said he believes the ANC is capable of leading all the provinces fairly.
His friend and colleague, Tebogo Lesia (30) of Vanderbijlpark, voted successfully for the ANC.
“I’m not afraid to tell. We [have] come a long way with the ANC,” he said. Lesia said he believes it is because the ANC is one of the main political parties that led the struggle for freedom.
But he still had a problem with the ruling party.
“The level of corruption within its officials is very high, but I hope this time they’ll improve.”
If the ANC wins this year’s elections, it will be its third win since the apartheid system was scrapped.
“If they don’t change I’m not voting for them again,” Khosa said.
He was worried that there would not be any party to vote for, should he lose trust in the ruling party.
“If your parent abuses you, you will not trust anyone again.”
Special Report: Elections 2004