By Malikhanye Mankayi
With elections coming up and voter registration taking place this coming weekend between 3 – 4 February, Grocott’s Mail asked Makhanda residents if they have registered to vote and their views on the importance of elections.
Sifiso Goodman Mthethwa, a 23-year-old Rhodes Student, said, “One of the reasons I believe it’s more important to vote is that it not only a constitutional right, basically it enables a collective to have a say in what goes when it comes to making high decisions because there’s a lot of us and sometimes ittoughult of each and of us every voice to be heard.”
He added, “I hope to see more independent candidates since I believe there’s a lot of challenges that come with party politics. I would like to see more between those candidates running through. I also hope for collusion government.”
Mcebisi Mnyanda, originally from Port Alfred, said, “It’s very important to vote if you are a South African citizen, to make better changes in rural areas and for better opportunities.”
He added by saying, “I hope the upcoming government can create better job opportunities and create ways of preventing high statics of poverty,”
Another resident, Chulumanco Matewu, said, “I think we need to vote to change the state of our economy. It’s essential that we put new leaders in power who will stand up for us and represent us to change the state of our country.”
She added, “I hope that could change inequality of this country in terms of poverty and people having enough resources, and I wish that schools from rural areas can have enough infrastructure to support the children and support learners to reach high learning level.”
A 20-year-old local, who preferred to be referred to by her name only, Mihle, says, “I’m not interested in anything that deals with elections because they make promises but don’t deliver their promises. It’s been years since our parents voted, but we don’t see a change in service delivery.”
Voting takes place on 3 – 4 February between 09:00 – 17:00. Visit https://registertovote.elections.org.za/Welcome for more information on voting registration and elections.
