Snaking queue at the Signal Hill Primary School voting station in Mahikeng. (Belinda Pheto/ News24)
Moeti Setlhogo, 70, and his wife were among the early arrivals at the Signal Hill Primary School voting station. They, like many others, brought their own chairs and prepared for a long wait. The day also saw first-time voters, like 26-year-old Onkabetse Mokwena, expressing a desire for political change.
Moeti Setlhogo, 70, was among the older people who arrived at the Signal Hill Primary School voting station in Mahikeng before it opened. He mentioned that they came early to avoid standing in long queues as the station serves many people. The voting station has more than 3,000 registered voters.
Setlhogo and his wife, Kebadirileng, made the short walk from their home to the voting station, bringing their own chairs to wait for their turn to vote.
While the queue mainly consisted of older individuals in the morning, young people and first-time voters started to arrive as the day progressed. One first-time voter, 26-year-old Onkabetse Mokwena, expressed his intention to see a new party in power, as he felt the ANC had failed the youth.
Onkabetse Mokwena said, with his vote, he wants to see the ANC removed from government. (Belinda Pheto/ News24)
Another voter, Elias Modibedi, emphasized the importance of choosing a leader who can bring about meaningful change and address the issues in the area.
Despite the long queues and wait times, voters remained patient and entrepreneurs took advantage of the opportunity to sell snacks and food.