Capetonians came out in their numbers on Wednesday to cast their votes, despite thick early morning mist, and sweltering temperatures later in the day.
Snaking queues at polling stations, which opened at 7am, saw thousands of mense waiting for up to three hours to vote.
Proud voters from Rocklands, Clive America, 71, and his wife Joyce America, 66, went out to vote at Caradale Primary School in Mitchells Plain. The pensioners said the experience was smooth and hassle free. "Being at our age, it's a blessing to still be able to get up and go out to vote. We urge the youth to make an effort to make your voice heard. We are old we won't be around for long but the youth are our future leaders so they need to make the right moves."
In Kraaifontein Carmen Swanepoel and her friend Selwina van Zyl stood in the queue at the FS Erasmus Hall in Scottsville. “We’ve been standing in the line for more than hour and I brought a book with to read to kill time,” said Carmen.
Bishop Nico Claasen, a member of the Khoisan nation, said: “It is good to see our coloured people coming out in their thousands to make their mark. We pray for a good outcome.”
First-time voter Keira Wilson, 18, was at Thornton Primary School with her mother. The excited teen said: “I looked for a party that is fair and equal to everyone, that isn’t disrespectful and offensive with the needs and wants of the young people.”
At Pinelands Primary School, 86-year-old Marion Went said she applied for the special vote but IEC staff did not arrive at her complex.
“We got special preference as we got to the voting station. They didn’t explain why they didn’t come to us. I have sent a complaint to the IEC via email,” said Went.
Politicians also stood in the line with the Pinelands residents.
Former Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool said: “Nothing takes away the absolute honour of 30 years later being able to practice that freely.”
Good Party leader Patricia de Lille said on Wednesday was her seventh time voting in the democracy.
“As South Africans we are blessed to be in a stable democracy, with freedom of the press. People today have to make the choice of what is best for them. That is the beauty that we fought for, for all South Africans to enjoy this democracy,” she said.
At Garlandale High School in Athlone, voters trickled in to cast their votes.
Stationed at the gate during the morning was one cop and outside a lone DA gazebo with some of their members.
Several people wore the keffiyeh, a symbol of Palestinian solidarity.
When asked why it was important to cast her vote, Garlandale resident Margo Simon, 54, said: “I've got three kids, what else can I say?”
Voting at Gordon High School in Somerset West, resident Juandre Farmer, 34, who cast her vote for the first time, described the experience as “easy”.
She said that even though she is unaffected by a lack of basic services, her vote will benefit everyone.