Zululand voting without incident

VOTING in Zululand went off without major incident on Wednesday as thousands made their way to voting stations around the region to make their mark.

By mid-afternoon there were no reports of violence, intimidation or protests and the only minor hiccups noted were delayed voting at some stations.

Stations in Arboretum, Veldenvlei and Mandlazini opened a little after 7am owing to minor delays, which IEC officials managed to rectify fairly quickly.

Overall, the 2016 local government elections in the region can be described as the most peaceful yet.

From all over the region, inspiring stories were heard.

During the special votes on Tuesday, IEC officials visited 100-year-old Gcinekile Mbuyazi in Ngwelezana.

Gogo Mbuyazi, who has voted in every election since 1994, was excited when presented with her ballot paper.

‘I will vote again if another opportunity comes and I’m still alive,’ she said.

In Empangeni, a bubbly Tumi Masina (22) bounded out of the Ward 23 voting station, smiling from ear to ear after casting her vote for the first time.

‘I am very happy, it’s something we really have to do.

‘Politics paved the way for our lives, for us to be able to live like this,’ she said, gesturing towards the homes nearby.

Former KZN Premier Senzo Mchunu and his wife, King Cetshwayo (uThungulu) District Mayor Thembeka Mchunu, also arrived at the station shortly before 11am to cast their votes.

Smooth process

A relaxed Mchunu said he was looking forward to have a quiet afternoon at home, but expressed his gratitude for the opportunity he and other citizens had to vote.

President Jacob Zuma was also relaxed as he stood in the queue at Ntolwane Primary School in his home town of Nkandla.

‘I think everything went very well. There were no major issues that one can talk about. I want to believe that South Africa is in the leading position in Africa in terms of the maturity of our democracy and the understanding of the people in how we vote,’ he said.

IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi voted at the Buthelezi Tribal Council near Ulundi, with supporters jumping to their feet when he arrived with his wife, Irene.

He cast his ballot quickly before telling the media he planned to go home before travelling to Nongoma later to observe voting progress.

Leader of the embattled NFP Party, Zanele KwaMagwaza-Msibi, was said to be making an appearance in Nongoma later in the afternoon, but she would not be voting, reports said.

IEC uThungulu Regional Supervisor Thule Dlamini confirmed that only one incident was reported to the IEC and police, regarding a threatening letter that was distributed in Nkandla.

The letter warned voters that they were being watched, and if they voted they should tell their families ‘to prepare for a funeral’. ‘Other than this issue, no major problems were reported,’ Dlamini said.

The IEC said 137 000 of the registered 478 000 voters had turned up at the voting stations by 3pm.

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