Update: ANC leads the race
Voting in Randfontein and Westonaria seems to be going smoothly, despite a slow start at many polling stations.
Update 8 May: Early results indicate that the ANC is in the lead in both Randfontein and Westonaria.
The ANC currently holds 54,64 percent of the Randfontein vote with 32 280 votes.
The DA is in second place with 18 139 votes, which translates to 30,70 percent of the vote.
The EFF has ousted Cope in the third place with 5 261 votes, which gives them 8,90 percent.
ZThe Freedom Front Plus is in fourth place with 1 152 votes or 1,95 percent.
A slew of other parties, including Cope and the ACDP hold less than 1 percent each.
In Westonaria the ANC is leading by a significant margin in all but one of the town’s voting districts.
The initial results indicate that the ANC holds 23 804 votes in Westonaria, which translates into 68,04 percent.
This despite ongoing problems in Bekkersdal, where the party has won all wards.
The DA is in second place with only 4 000 votes, or 11,46 percent with Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom fighters (EFF) hot on their heals with 3980 votes or 11,38 percent.
The IFP, Azapo and the UDM each hold just under 2 percent with a slew of smaller parties behind them, each sporting less than 1 percent.
Watch this space for more as results trickle in.
Update: Voting in Randfontein and Westonaria seems to be going smoothly without any major problems.
All the usual hotspots reports that things are progressing peacefully.
At one voting station in Randfontein, reports indicate that the voter’s roll is incomplete and that their list only reflects up to veters whose surnames start with T.
Police presence in Bekkersdal remains strong.
Watch this space for more as the day progresses.
Voting in both Randfontein and Westonaria are off to a bad start with residents taking to social media platforms to air their complaints.
In Bekkersdal one man has been arrested following the torching of a polling station.
According to news reports at east three polling stations in the area were burned down by protesting residents during the night and early morning.
A strong police and military presence is being maintained in the area with both police and military vehicles patrolling the streets.
People who are not voting have been urged to stay off the streets.
Reports indicate that the majority of residents welcome the presence of police and the military in Bekkersdal,
Voting seems to be going smoothly.
In Mohlakeng Extension 7, residents have been complaining that a voting station has not yet opened due to apparent technical problems.
Other complaints were mostly of polling stations opening late.
In Randfontein itself, voting seems to be going smoothly with one resident saying that it took all of five minutes from arrival to leaving the Randgate polling station.
Watch this space for regular updates as the day progresses.
