‘I'm voting to make a difference’

Voting started smoothly in Parklands and other surrounding areas in Table View, as upbeat voters braved the cold weather to cast their ballot.

Cape Town - Voting started smoothly in Parklands and other surrounding areas in Table View, Cape Town on Wednesday.

Winding queues could be spotted at Blouberg International School.

The mood was upbeat for many voters who braved the cold weather to cast their ballot.

Among those in the queue was Ashton Lunt, 29, who had come to vote for the first time.

Lunt said that even though he was eligible to vote as early as 2004, he was an “apathetic voter all these years because I didn't think that my vote counted”.

He said he had a change of mind during these elections as he felt that South Africa needed change.

“I think by voting here today I will be making a difference, no matter how small. It is my responsibility as a citizen to cast my vote,” he said.

Keaton Kennedy, 18, from Parklands also voted for the first time.

Despite standing in the queue for about two hours, he was still excited to cast his vote.

“I'm voting to make a difference. As young people we are future leaders so I need to make a difference while I'm still young. Young people who don't want to vote are taking their democratic right to vote for granted and are a part of the problem,” he said.

Wendy van Rooyen said though she has voted many times before, she didn't underestimate the power of her vote.

“I'm voting because its a privilege for me to vote. People lost their lives to make sure that South Africa becomes a democratic country. I don't take what they did for granted and that's why I'm here today,” she said.

Elections Bureau