Winnie: Voting a wonderful, but painful process

"Every time I put that cross on that paper, I think of all those who are not here with us," Winnie Madikizela-Mandela said after she cast her vote.

Johannesburg - Cameras clicked, people tripped and nearly fell, photographers shouted for people to move out of the way, and bodyguards removed those that were about to get too close.

This was the scene at Orlando West Secondary school on Wednesday afternoon when Winnie Madikizela-Mandela cast her vote.

As her car parked, the large contingency of media that was there immediately went to greet her.

Photographers and video camera people positioned themselves to get the best view, resulting in the bodyguards having a hard time co-ordinating what should happen.

As soon as she got out of the car, cameras started clicking. Bodyguards had to ask people to move out of the way and make space for her to walk.

Flanked by ANC heavyweight Paul Mashatile and Joburg mayor Parks Tau, Madikizela-Mandela walked slowly to one of the classrooms at the school.

Winnie Mandela casting her vote at Orlando West High in Soweto @mojoIOL @IOL @RporterStar #elections2016 #LGE2016 pic.twitter.com/294XOKn8es

— IG: MojoIOL (@mojoIOL) August 3, 2016

Photographers chased after her to get the best shots, raising the ire of other photographers who had long positioned their cameras next to the class where she would be voting.

The tense media situation was the same inside the voting station.

There was ululation after she cast her vote.

Speaking to the media outside, Madikizela-Mandela said this was no time for “skiet, skop and donder” elections, referring to the political violence that had cast a dark cloud over the elections.

“There was no reason whatsoever for the type of violence we have seen. It is utter disgrace and very bad reflection on South Africa. I think we all feel very, very bad about it,” Madikizela-Mandela said.

“I'm hoping that difficult as times are and the fact that this has been most difficult periods in the history of out country that we'll see good results and people will get a government they deserve.

“Municipalities are the mercenaries of the state to deliver and what we must all be worried about is the state of the economy of the country. I think every South African is worried about the weakness of the rand and that a government that is supposed to lead must deliver.”

Madikizela-Mandela also said she hoped everyone was going to vote for a party and candidate of their choice and that whoever was chosen to lead a municipality would deliver.

While she was always happy to exercise her right to vote all the time, she said she could not stop thinking about those who gave up their lives for the country's freedom.

“Every time I put that cross on that paper, I think of all those who are not here with us, those who did not make it back at home, who gave up their lives for the struggle. Although it is a wonderful thing to vote, but at the same it is a very painful process,” she said.

botho.molosankwe@inl.co.za

Elections Bureau