IN the build-up to the elections on May 29, Caxton Local Media spoke to senior community member Ravendra Rajh who witnessed the first democratic elections in 1994. Rajh is also a lecturer at the IIE’s Varsity College in Westville and was 41 years old when he voted for the very first time in 1994 at the Wyebank Secondary School.
“I was employed by the Department of Education as Head of Division: Business Studies. I was based at Cato Manor Technical College (now the Thekwini College for Further Education and Training) and married with four children, with my youngest being born in April 1994. We lived in Circle Park in Wyebank,” he explained.
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Rajh said he remembers being ecstatic on his first voting day as he was set to vote for the very first time in his life.
“I was so happy that I carried our little daughter, who was born earlier that month, to the voting station. Following the release of Nelson Mandela on February 11, 1990, the first day of our democratic elections was concrete evidence that the new order was cast in stone and that there was no going back. I never thought that this day would actually come in my lifetime.
“For the first time in the history of our country, an entire nation turned up to vote. We watched, on TV, scenes of long lines of citizens patiently waiting to cast their votes, some for almost the entire day. What a radical shift from elections during apartheid and significantly more so from that of the days of the Tricameral Parliament. For the very first time, elections in our country were inclusive of all the citizens of South Africa. That was emotional,” he said.
Over the past 30 years, Rajh said the country has witnessed, among others, the failure of SOEs and municipalities and crumbling infrastructure, such as our roads and railway network. The findings of the Zondo Commission he believes are a major source of concern.
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“Nevertheless, I maintain an optimistic outlook. It’s everyday individuals from various backgrounds who are accomplishing remarkable feats to sustain our economy and ensure South Africa thrives. I believe that we have it in us, and we still have time to make South Africa one of the most powerful countries on the southern tip of the African continent. We dare not rest. There is much work that needs to be done.”
Rajh encouraged the community to go out in their numbers and vote on May 29 to preserve democracy.
“It is evident that having a democratic constitution does not, in itself, create a democracy. That democracy needs to be guarded and nurtured. It cannot exist only in law or by belief but must be lived in practice. We need to be instruments of change. We cannot stand on the sidelines and be critics.
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“To young people in particular, my appeal to them is that they, too, play a vital role in protecting our democracy. If they have not registered as voters, then they should register to vote at the very next opportunity. Those who have registered should go out on election day and ensure that they vote. They need to remember that the right to vote is a privilege that has been hard-won through much sacrifice and the loss of lives and livelihoods. Make a difference. Vote on 29 May 2024,” he emphasised.
Voting stations will be open on May 29 across the country from 07:00 to 20:00.
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