Some voters bring food for toddlers as hundreds wait to vote in Joburg CBD

After being unemployed for 12 years, mother of two Rina Pita braced a seven-hour wait to vote at the Gauteng legislature in the Johannesburg CBD on Wednesday.

The voting station had a huge voter turnout as thousands of people waited in snaking queues for an average of six to seven hours. Voters who arrived at the voting station at 10am left at about 5pm.

Pita, 43, waited in the queue for about six hours but was still far from the entrance by 6pm. She told TimesLIVE she would wait until the station closed because voting was important to change the poor's circumstances.

“I have been unemployed since 2012 and I have children I need to provide for. I live on a government grant but that is not enough to take care of my children's needs. I have been searching for a job but year after year I'm counted in unemployment statistics. I will vote for a party that promises to radically deal with unemployment,” she said.

Another resident, Linathi Bodlani, 25, brought food to eat during the wait in the queue with her 13-month-old daughter.

“The long queues show people want change and they are backing that up with action. I will stand here with my daughter until I vote. I want to vote for change and growth in our country so we reach our full potential.”

Abigail Dowries, 22, had a camp chair and books to read as she waited about seven hours before she could cast her vote.

“We live in a democracy and choose it. We cannot sit back and expect the right [people] will lead us without taking action. We also have a responsibility to put the right people in power. We need to hold parties accountable and the first step is to vote,” she said.

TimesLIVE