Some Wits students opted to vote closer to home rather than the university’s campus voting stations
Wits University students from areas in Gauteng have decided to vote in their hometowns rather than at the voting station on campus on May 8, 2019 for the sixth general South African Elections.
Most of the students interviewed by Wits Vuvuzela said that this is because of various reasons including comfort and convenience.
Luthando Matjija, a 22-year-old construction studies student, told Wits Vuvuzela that she is voting at the Spruitview Library voting station in the East Rand because it is closer to her home.
“I didn’t want to go vote on campus because I wanted to cast my vote in my hood [home town], because the Spruitview Library is only a 5-minute drive away from my house and I will be with my family there,” she said.
Another construction studies, 23-year-old Mandlakayise Ngomane, said it is ideal to go to the voting stations with your friends because they are there to give you some last minute advise.
“When I voted for the first time at the 2014 national elections and I walked to the voting station at Mampudi Primary School with them, we had debates about the different parties and who to vote for.
“This is important, especially as a first time voter because you need some advise about who to vote for and why. I really enjoyed it so I want to do it again. If it’s nice we do it twice,” said Ngomane.
Although some students are voting at stations closer to their homes, others will be voting at the Wits University Old Mutual Sports Hall and Parktown Education voting stations.
Tshegofatso Ntlamu said she will be voting at the Old Mutual Sports Hall voting station because she thinks it will be convenient for her. She says she will be voting on campus because this is where she is registered to vote. “It’s good that we have a voting station here at Wits to also cater for students that come from other provinces,” said Ntlamu.
According to the Independent Electoral Commission, you are allowed to vote nationally at any voting station as long as you are registered, but you have to be in the province you registered to be eligible to vote provincially.
FEATURED IMAGE: Voters queued outside the Phaphadikota, Vosloorus voting sub-station 2 and sub-station 3. Picture: Lineo Letaba.
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