News24 | 'Such a lekker feeling': First-time voters mark their X for hope

• First-time voters flocked to the polls on Wednesday.
• Voting stations saw queues of voters making their mark in the national elections.
• Many young voters said they spent extensive time researching who to vote for.
• Find everything you need to know about the 2024 general elections on News24's  Elections Hub.

A strong feature of Wednesday's election was the number of first-time voters who chatted excitedly, scrolled on their phones, and took selfies as they stood in queues waiting to mark their X. 

Young people told News24 they had voted for change and spoke about the responsibility of participating in the country's democracy. 

"The act of voting felt empowering and significant," first-time voter Reece-Zhara Bailey said after making her X at the Hanover Park Civic Centre in Cape Town.

"As a first-time national election voter, the experience of casting my ballot was exhilarating and thought-provoking. The anticipation leading up to the day was palpable, as I was eager to exercise my right and responsibility, as a citizen, to have a say in the future direction of our country," she said.

Bailey said she had been struck by the sense of community at her voting station.

"Despite the long lines, the wait was made more bearable by the camaraderie and shared excitement among my fellow voters," she said.

"I knew that my voice, combined with those of millions of others, would shape the course of our nation."

Bailey said some of the issues that helped her decide who to vote for included load shedding and the "alarmingly high rate of youth unemployment".

Nontsikelelo Miyelo, a 19-year-old University of Western Cape student, said she was excited to have a say in who could lead South Africa.

Miyelo is hoping for a better South Africa, with more job opportunities and less crime.

She said she hoped for free education and better service delivery for people in forgotten villages, like her hometown of Ngcobo, in the Eastern Cape.

First-time voter Nina Dowray said her vote was based on who she believed would best address corruption and load shedding. 

"Each party has their own strengths and weaknesses. You really have to do your research," said Dowray, who cast her vote in Rondebosch in Cape Town. 

For Heideveld's Rodwill Alexander, being in a long queue was no problem. 

"It was such a lekker feeling standing there, knowing you are standing there for a really great reason. I'm literally holding the future in my hands, and I believe that my vote will bring change. We have to be positive," said Alexander. 

He said he was "very happy" that he would be contributing to making the country a better place. 

"It feels like I have made some sort of positive impact and what I hope for in the long run is to see a decrease in youth unemployment as well as a decrease in poverty and gang-ridden areas because, wow, crime is insane in Cape Town," said Alexander.

Luke Levenberg, 23, sheltered in the shade of a tree outside the Full Gospel Church of God voting station in Parklands, Cape Town, marvelled at this big milestone in his life - voting.

"I took it very emotionally," the youth activist told News24.

"I believe my voice was heard today by making an X."

For Levenberg the long list of candidates was not confusing.

"I did my homework."

The voting station was bustling with brightly coloured party tents on the pavement, and volunteers took turns to direct traffic on the narrow suburban road.

"We multi-task here," said an ANC volunteer, as he took over from a DA volunteer.

Neo Kalane beamed at the prospect of voting.

"Happy is an understatement," he said.

The importance of the vote was also not lost on students in Johannesburg, who waited for as long as six hours to cast their vote.

In snaking queues, rivalling the 1994 vote, students sat, huddled, talked and studied their way to the front.

When News24 visited the main campus on Wednesday afternoon, it took nine minutes to walk from the back of the parking queue, up the stairs to the Matrix complex, under the trees and across the length of the Great Hall, then down the side of the library, parallel to the large pond, down more stairs and into the Old Mutual Sports Hall, where the votes were being cast.

READ | The long stretch to freedom: Citizens endure hours of queueing despite hot sun and squabbles

An official at the voting station told News24 that a significant holdup was the voter management device (VMD), an electronic voter data device hailed by the IEC as "a game-changer for voter registration", which kept going offline.

The official said that, every time it went offline, the station had to rely on a 200-page voters roll that, for some reason, was not in alphabetical order. 

The mood in the queue depended on where you stood. At the tail end, in the parking lot sun, students stood shading their faces. Groans of "haibo" and "yoh, guys" were commonplace as newcomers saw just how long the queue was. At the Matrix, under the trees, students laughed, ate and studied.

At the side of the library, ANC and EFF gazebos were set up side-by-side, with members of the parties taking a last stab at recruiting, but most students seemed more interested in a make-shift sweet stand in the shade of the political tents.

Lwazi Cele, 19, told News24 he would be voting for the EFF.

"I'm going to vote for EFF since ANC doesn't take care of us… so I'm sure that voting for EFF will [create] change and prosperity for everyone in South Africa."

Ramasela Mokoena spoke passionately about casting her vote.

"It's literally my first time making an impact. I know people are, like, 'Oh, it doesn't matter', but we're in a situation in this country where we need change, we need something different."

She said that, as a student, voting was very important because students were having a hard time affording education. "Half of us cannot afford to be here. We're literally in this university line where the minute you can't pay, you're out of here. We're not here because 'school is nice'; we're trying to uplift our families. So, if this ... needs me to be here in this very long line, I will," she said. 

Mokoena added that she couldn't expect change if she didn't take the initiative to vote.

She said 2024 would be as important as 1994 - and that the thousands in the queue were there because they wanted change.

Lona Sokanyile said it felt humbling to cast a vote.

"It is humbling to know that I can exercise my democratic right as a citizen of South Africa, and I'm really looking forward to the turnout of these upcoming elections. And I know that, as a responsible citizen, it is one thing that one can do if they want to see change," she said.

Meanwhile, first-time voters in Durban waited in scorching temperatures to cast their votes.

An unemployed graduate, Zimhlophe Zuma, said she was excited, but nervous to be voting for the first time.

The 26-year-old said she didn't vote in the previous general election because she didn't understand the importance of her vote. 

Now, she said, she does. 

"I now understand my rights and understand their importance. There are a lot of changes I want to see, but most importantly free education and the end of load shedding. I graduated, but haven't got my qualifications as I owe the university fees. Also, I have a small business, which has been struggling over the years due to load shedding," said Zuma.

Another first time voter, Olwethu Sokhulu, 22, who waited for over four hours at Glenwood, Durban, said her vote formed part of her advocacy for change to unemployment, free education, crime and other social ills.

"I wasn't going to miss this opportunity to vote. I think every vote counts and everyone deserves to be heard. I feel important for once as I'm making this vote because my voice will be heard. I'm voting for nothing other than change and for a political party that will be able to answer our prayers," said Sokhulu.