“Voices of resilience: Tales of struggle and triumph from the chaos of the 2024 National Elections”

As voters eagerly headed to polling stations nationwide, chaos and confusion reigned.

Reports of voting errors, missing names, and slow Voter Management Devices due to network issues causing significant delays in the voter registration process.

One former Soweto teacher, Lesele Leslie Letlhaku, was outraged by the behaviour of an Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) presiding officer at his polling station.

 

Despite his ID being scanned, confirming his eligibility to vote at  Mafori Mphahlele high school polling station in Molapo, Letlhaku discovered his name was inexplicably absent from the voter registry to cast his ballot.

In a relatively slow turnout polling station, Letlhaku  approached voting officer to request the IEC telephone numbers in a last-ditch effort to ensure he could vote.

“After contacting the head office and explaining my situation, I was instructed to hand over my phone to the presiding officer. Much to my surprise, she was uncooperative and impolite. 

The head office had to intervene and direct her to return the phone and show me the voter roll.

Despite the presiding officer’s dismissive demeanor, I managed to find my name on the list,” Letlhaku recounted.

Despite the chaos and confusion, Letlhaku remained determined to exercise his democratic right to vote.

He emphasised the importance of every vote in shaping the future of the country.

“It’s crucial for every eligible citizen to participate in the electoral process, regardless of the challenges we face. Our voices must be heard,” Letlhaku concluded. 

 

Several voters were unable to vote either because their names were missing from the voters roll while some allegedly with ‘similar situation’ were allowed to vote and put their ballot papers in envelopes.

 

Meanwhile, Amelia Tjabane, a 74-year-old Soweto resident, was wrongly marked as deceased on the 2024 updated voters roll and could not vote at Reutlwile Secondary School in Molapo,Soweto.

 

Reports suggest that individuals in several polling stations across the country were also unable to vote due to their names not being on the voters roll.