Johannesburg, South Africa – Security guard Shivambu Yuza Patric, 48, arrived at the polling station immediately after his night shift. Having lost faith in the ANC, Patric did not vote in the last election but is hopeful this time for a change.
“They do nothing for the people,” Patric said about the ANC. Although he hadn’t made a final decision, he was leaning towards voting for the small opposition party, ActionSA.
Meanwhile, Andrew Mathabatha, a 40-year-old self-employed engineer, was among the early voters at Midrand High School in a northern suburb of Johannesburg. “I voted for the EFF because I need fresh minds in parliament,” Mathabatha explained.
“I feel like the current government is slow in terms of implementing certain things, and I think it’s time for a different way of thinking and doing things,” he added.
As the nation heads to the polls, voters like Patric and Mathabatha are expressing a desire for new leadership and fresh perspectives in government.