So Proudly South African
This morning I voted in my 4th general election and I am as proud and emotional as the first time.
There was a feeling of excitement in the air and on the faces of people standing in lines in other districts that we passed on our way to our local polling station at my old primary school.
I was so proud to be there with my sister – which we’d done since she could first vote in 1999.
It’s still hard to believe that when I attended that particular primary school many years ago, our parents and grandparents were not allowed to vote, based on the colour of their skin only.
My sister and I walked into my old standard 5 classroom and found a line with about 4 people ahead of us. Of course the little scanning machine ran out of paper just after the person ahead of me was done.
Then the IEC officials ran out of ballot paper at around the same time and had to open a new pack and count it.
Everyone, including me, were patient and took it all in good spirit, though I was starting to chomp at the bit to vote.
I had already made up my mind to relunctantly vote COPE nationally (a vote against Jacob Zuma rather than for COPE) and ANC provincially.
My colleague promised to do the same.
He compromised with his provincial vote while I compromised my national one.
This election cycle has made me a much better citizen. I considered my vote very carefully – weighed up voting for at least three different parties – the ANC, COPE and the ID.
In the end I made my mark for a strong opposition, both nationally and in the Western Cape.
Viva Democracy!
