It is voting day in Thembisa and the Caprivi Pub — not a polling station — is the centre of the action. Committed nonvoters have gathered here to enjoy the public holiday.
House music pounds as Dion Mabusela and his friends clear the Highveld dust from their throats with cold beers. “Why should I vote? Zuma and his cronies don’t invite us when they’re eating money from tenders. It’s only when they want my vote that they come to me. I’m sick and tired of the ANC and corrupt politicians,” says Mabusela.
Thabiso Mphela agrees. “ANC, Cope [Congress of the People], DA [Democratic Alliance] — none of the parties will make any difference in my life. They’re all the same. All they want is to line their own pockets at my expense.”
The party atmosphere intensifies as more people keep squeeze into the pub. Many of them, such as Bongani Khanyile, laugh when asked if they have come from the polling station.
Khanyile rents a “back room” because he does not have a place of his own. He is sceptical of politicians’ promises. “My vote is very precious. They must work hard to get it. For now I don’t think any party deserves it,” he says.
A Caprivi regular, 26-year-old Mojalefa Bukula, jokes that he cannot vote because he is a “slave of agents” — his description of labour brokers. “If the ANC can scrap them, then I’ll vote. But slaves can’t vote.”
Down the road from the pub Doreen Ngobeni is enjoying a day at home with her friend, Violet Makhubu. Neither has been to the polling station. Makhubu has two unemployed sons. Her reason for boycotting the election is simple: “They should give us jobs then we’ll vote. Not vice versa.”
But not everyone in Thembisa is so downbeat. Some, like first-time voter Lerato Maphanga, feel their ballots will help to build better communities and lead to more efficient service delivery. “I had to exercise my right,” says Maphanga. “I voted DA because I think they can deliver better than the ANC.”
Thomas Sibindi disagrees. He has just cast his vote and he put his cross next to the ANC’s candidate because the party “liberated us from apartheid”.
But he is under no illusions about its track record. “They must just stop the infighting and concentrate on service delivery,” he says.
Fellow voter Piet Moeti feels the ruling party has become “too complacent” and has decided to teach them a lesson. “I voted for the DA because they can shake the ANC,” he says.
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