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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| South African election day: your stories | South African election day: your stories |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Today, 25 million South Africans will go to the polls to vote in the first election since Nelson Mandela’s death, the fifth in their 20-year democracy. It is also the first election that the so-called "born free" generation – born after apartheid ended in 1994 – are eligible to vote in. | Today, 25 million South Africans will go to the polls to vote in the first election since Nelson Mandela’s death, the fifth in their 20-year democracy. It is also the first election that the so-called "born free" generation – born after apartheid ended in 1994 – are eligible to vote in. |
| The African National Congress (ANC) is expected to win comfortably but they have faced an unprecedented challenge to their leadership, on the streets and in the ballot box. | The African National Congress (ANC) is expected to win comfortably but they have faced an unprecedented challenge to their leadership, on the streets and in the ballot box. |
| Justice Malala, a political analyst based in Johannesburg said yesterday that if there is one thing that South Africans can agree on, it's that they have come along way in 20 years "a country where we walk proudly, without fear; a full citizenship of the world; a democratic dispensation and constitution to be proud of", but, the outstanding question remains: "how much better could our story have been"? | Justice Malala, a political analyst based in Johannesburg said yesterday that if there is one thing that South Africans can agree on, it's that they have come along way in 20 years "a country where we walk proudly, without fear; a full citizenship of the world; a democratic dispensation and constitution to be proud of", but, the outstanding question remains: "how much better could our story have been"? |
| We asked our readers to paint a picture of a country preparing to vote. What are their hopes and aspirations? How do they feel about the election? Here’s what they had to say: | We asked our readers to paint a picture of a country preparing to vote. What are their hopes and aspirations? How do they feel about the election? Here’s what they had to say: |
| Sadly the issues in our election are totally irrelevant. Too | Sadly the issues in our election are totally irrelevant. Too |
| few care enough about good governance and understand the complexities of | few care enough about good governance and understand the complexities of |
| a modern economy. | a modern economy. |
| Rather than race it is perhaps more pertinent that the core of the | Rather than race it is perhaps more pertinent that the core of the |
| African National Congress (ANC) support are state-dependent; either working for the grossly bloated | African National Congress (ANC) support are state-dependent; either working for the grossly bloated |
| civil service or welfare grant recipients. They don't see a place for | civil service or welfare grant recipients. They don't see a place for |
| themselves in a modern, skills-centric economy which paradoxically is | themselves in a modern, skills-centric economy which paradoxically is |
| the only way forward that can offer them a better future. | the only way forward that can offer them a better future. |
| JQesq | JQesq |
| I know that on Wednesday, | I know that on Wednesday, |
| when I stand in the queue with my fellow students, I still will not have | when I stand in the queue with my fellow students, I still will not have |
| made the choice for whom to vote for. South Africa has been bettered in | made the choice for whom to vote for. South Africa has been bettered in |
| racial segregation, but change is still needed for a stable future. | racial segregation, but change is still needed for a stable future. |
| Unfortunately, there is no clear solution, no good | Unfortunately, there is no clear solution, no good |
| versus bad, just the lesser evil. | versus bad, just the lesser evil. |
| Each party has its own set of morals, as it should be with democracy. | Each party has its own set of morals, as it should be with democracy. |
| But many are going against the 'rainbow nation', against | But many are going against the 'rainbow nation', against |
| Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk for their work for the peaceful | Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk for their work for the peaceful |
| termination of the apartheid. | termination of the apartheid. |
| When I make my cross on the ballot paper, it will be with | When I make my cross on the ballot paper, it will be with |
| hope that my choice has a positive impact. I can't be sure who | hope that my choice has a positive impact. I can't be sure who |
| deserves my vote. I don't know who should lead the generation of 'born | deserves my vote. I don't know who should lead the generation of 'born |
| free' into the adult world, who should be our bearer of light. Hope. | free' into the adult world, who should be our bearer of light. Hope. |
| HouseOfSeekers | HouseOfSeekers |
| ANC covers EFF posters | ANC covers EFF posters |
| Campaigning gets heavy as lower party members play rough and here ANC covers over EFF posters | Campaigning gets heavy as lower party members play rough and here ANC covers over EFF posters |
| Sent via GuardianWitness | Sent via GuardianWitness |
| By | By |
| Francois Gatete | Francois Gatete |
| 4 May 2014, 7:11 | 4 May 2014, 7:11 |
| Anti-Zuma Slogans at EFF Tshela Thupa Rally | Anti-Zuma Slogans at EFF Tshela Thupa Rally |
| One of many anti-Zuma displays at the EFF's 'Tshela Thupa' rally. Photo: Koketso Moeti | One of many anti-Zuma displays at the EFF's 'Tshela Thupa' rally. Photo: Koketso Moeti |
| Sent via GuardianWitness | Sent via GuardianWitness |
| By | By |
| kmoeti | kmoeti |
| 6 May 2014, 18:14 | 6 May 2014, 18:14 |
| Excited to cast my vote I can't wait to vote. My opportunity to effect change in my beloved country South Africa! | Excited to cast my vote I can't wait to vote. My opportunity to effect change in my beloved country South Africa! |
| Remember you've got to be in it to win it. | Remember you've got to be in it to win it. |
| Mannuel Ferreira | Mannuel Ferreira |
| Thinking about the queues | Thinking about the queues |
| at South African elections makes me homesick. I live in the UK | at South African elections makes me homesick. I live in the UK |
| now, where election day is a pretty dull affair. An empty grey school | now, where election day is a pretty dull affair. An empty grey school |
| hall where election officials outnumber voters. Just two minutes and you have completed your democratic duties. | hall where election officials outnumber voters. Just two minutes and you have completed your democratic duties. |
| I am a white South African and the first time I cast my vote was in | I am a white South African and the first time I cast my vote was in |
| the 1994 elections. Our polling station was in a shopping mall, across | the 1994 elections. Our polling station was in a shopping mall, across |
| the road from a large park. We queued for hours, said hello to | the road from a large park. We queued for hours, said hello to |
| neighbours and friends, listened to the singing. | neighbours and friends, listened to the singing. |
| The last time I cast my vote, I took my baby son along with me, | The last time I cast my vote, I took my baby son along with me, |
| strapped to my chest in a sling. Again, we stood for hours, chatting to | strapped to my chest in a sling. Again, we stood for hours, chatting to |
| our friends from the neighbourhood, cracking jokes. The vibe on election day - I will miss it | our friends from the neighbourhood, cracking jokes. The vibe on election day - I will miss it |
| nicocarsher73 | nicocarsher73 |
| I drove all the way from Wollongong to vote in Canberra. | I drove all the way from Wollongong to vote in Canberra. |
| Sent via GuardianWitness | Sent via GuardianWitness |
| By | By |
| kittykatie12 | kittykatie12 |
| 5 May 2014, 14:07 | 5 May 2014, 14:07 |
| Voting in Paris | Voting in Paris |
| I cycled from Dieppe to Paris and cast my vote at the SA Embassy on Quai d'Orsay. There was not much voting traffic, and all went smoothly. | I cycled from Dieppe to Paris and cast my vote at the SA Embassy on Quai d'Orsay. There was not much voting traffic, and all went smoothly. |
| Sent via GuardianWitness | Sent via GuardianWitness |
| By | By |
| wisdeniswonderful | wisdeniswonderful |
| 6 May 2014, 12:19 | 6 May 2014, 12:19 |
| Voters Queuing Up | |
| Voters queuing up at Seaparankwe School in Atteridgeville, Tshwane. Photo: Koketso Moeti | |
| Sent via GuardianWitness | |
| By | |
| kmoeti | |
| 7 May 2014, 13:37 | |
| Drove from Sydney to Canberra to cast my vot. | |
| Sent via GuardianWitness | |
| By | |
| Jonathan Holman | |
| 7 May 2014, 14:20 | |
| Do these testimonies resonate with your experiences? Tell us in the comment thread below, or contribute to our GuardianWitness assignment by using the blue ‘Contribute’ buttons at the bottom of this article. | Do these testimonies resonate with your experiences? Tell us in the comment thread below, or contribute to our GuardianWitness assignment by using the blue ‘Contribute’ buttons at the bottom of this article. |