Elections in South Africa: in Soweto, voters want change in the ANC
Audio 01:22
A polling station located in Orlando East, Soweto during the municipal elections on November 1, 2021 in South Africa.
© Claire Bargelès / RFI
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
South Africa opened its polling stations this Monday, November 1 in the morning, for a day of municipal elections.
The morning of the vote took place relatively calm, despite a few offices that had remained closed due to protests in the south and east of the country.
At midday, turnout was only 14%.
The African National Congress (ANC) should once again finish first, but in this Soweto polling station some are calling for change.
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With our correspondent in Johannesburg,
Claire Bargelès
In this polling station in Orlando East, in the heart of Soweto, the ballot is proceeding very calmly.
Sam, 78, queues peacefully in the sun, chatting with his neighbors in the neighborhood: “
I'm here to vote for my old party.
Yes, everyone makes mistakes.
But I think now that the ANC has realized its faults, and Ramaphosa has promised change, it's going to be 100% okay.
"
A fed up
This trust in the ANC was once very common in this historic party stronghold. But now, following
repeated corruption cases
and the mismanagement of local finances, voters like Charles sometimes make other choices: "
I want to vote for another party, which can change things, and bring in services of based. For example the promised social housing, the money was embezzled. Now we want another party.
"
Some, and in particular the youngest, even decide to turn their backs on politics, while a third of people of voting age are not registered on the lists.
But for Zamantungwa, it is important to go to the polls to get the message across to the ANC: “
If you don't vote, you still give political power to the party you reject.
I have a feeling black South Africans want more and more to hold the ANC to account, and after all, that is democracy.
"
The ruling party hopes to limit its loss of momentum by shifting at least 50% of the vote nationwide.
►Also read: Municipal in South Africa: what independent candidates can weigh
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