Archbishop Desmond Tutu, wife Leah cast special votes in Cape Town

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and his wife Leah have cast their special votes at their residence in Milnerton, Cape Town. IEC officials who assisted them with casting their ballots say the process went smoothly with the 90-year-old Archbishop Tutu in good spirits.

Tutu earlier performed morning prayers while members of the media camped outside his home to witness the voting event.

SABC News’ Vanessa Poonah reporting earlier from Archbishop Tutu home in Cape Town: 

DA Federal Chairperson, Helen Zille, has cast her special ballot at Pinelands High School in Cape Town. Zille says she’s hopeful her party will do well in the upcoming local government election on November the first.

“The infrastructure is this country is falling apart. We’re on stage four load shedding, some municipalities are broken beyond repair. We have a totally corrupt national government and you are worried about posters. We in the DA are worried about getting things done.”

Zille is among 46 000 people registered for special votes in the province.

Meanwhile, 67-year-old wheelchair-bound Oupa Motlhala says he’s excited to exercise his right to vote. He has cast his special vote in Tlhabologo village in Mahikeng in the North West.

Motlhala has encouraged other eligible voters to go out and vote.

“They went to me at home and I voted at home because I am a sick person and also wheelchair-bound. I thank the IEC and I encourage people to cast their votes,” says Motlhala.

Retirement village residents

Special voting in the retirement village in Newcastle in the north of KwaZulu-Natal is running smoothly. However, some tenants say they are terrified of the possibility of contracting the coronavirus. Others say they feel so strongly about participating in the elections because they desperately want to see a change in the delivery of basic services.

“We hardly went anywhere. And if we did, we made sure that we had our masks on and sanitised and what have you. It was a very scary time for us, especially at our ages,” says a resident.

“I always vote. I will always do it, COVID or no COVID. Yes I would wear my mask and I would sanitise my hands and my pen, but I would most definitely go voting,” says another resident.

“Ja, I’ve always been careful you know because my parents taught me not to stick my head into a bee’s nest. You might get hurt,” says a resident.

LGE 2021 | Special voting update for KwaZulu-Natal IEC centre

80-year-old voter hopes for change

As thousands of South Africans cast their special ballots, 80-year-old Soweto resident in Johannesburg, Dolly Mlangeni, says she hopes her vote leads to positive change in the township.

Mlangeni says the area has been plagued with constant water and electricity cuts over the years.

She cast her special vote this morning at her home in Rockville.

“I am so happy and thankful that I got this opportunity. I applied and got an SMS that my application has been approved. I wish they could resolve the problem of water and electricity because there is no difference whether you pay or you don’t pay if they want to switch them off we are all affected,” says Mlangeni.

Tselane On Elections – Voter Frequently Asked Questions #LGE2021