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Live updates: Voting stations close their doors

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19:36

And here is the Snapstory we promised! 

Our reporter Shandukani Mulaudzi took to the voting stations today to find out who the citizens of South Africa were voting for. Armed with a smartphone, Snapchat and her wits, Shandukani got the DA’s mayoral candidate Herman Mashaba and former president Thabo Mbeki to utilise Snapchat’s popular filters to send a message, specifically, to the youth of South Africa. 

19:00

Voting stations have closed their doors, but voting will continue until all those inside the stations have voted.

17:07

After he had voted Mbeki said that 'these elections were a good sign'. Read the full report by Hlengiwe Nhlabathi

16:57

Also in Cape Town, some voters were bitterly disappointed when they arrived at the booth only to find out that the ANC was not contesting that ward. 

16:50 Cape Town update

Our reporter Andisiwe Makinana toured some of the voting stations around Cape Town this morning. In Langa at 12.15pm only 356 people had voted, while at the Philippi Sports Complex only 500 of the 1713 registered voters turned up. In Khayelitsha (Ward 90) 1200 of the 2918 voted by 2.25pm. 

 16:35

This morning Mmusi Maimane was asked if he went to meet with former president Thabo Mbeki, like the EFF did earlier this week. Maimane said that he had met Mbeki on several occasions but did not feel the need to make a "media stunt" out of it. Here is the full video from S’thembile Cele

16:13

In Melville, Johannesburg, residents were fuming when ID scanners failed to work. This resulted in voting being delayed. This annoyed voters who had queued from 5.30am to cast their vote. Absalam Malatji reports

16:03

Earlier the ANC confirmed that two voters had died at voting stations in KwaZulu-Natal and the Northern Cape. The IEC confirmed that one of the voters had died of natural causes but would not say how the other voter had died. 

The ANC also confirmed that a party volunteer had died in Struisbaai, Western Cape. There was no indication of how the volunteer died.

 

16:01

In Vuwani there was a low voter turnout as residents opted to play soccer instead. Read all about it

15:56

We asked Thabo Mbeki and Winnie Mandela to give us their messages to the youth of South Africa this election day. And of course we did it via Snapchat! Video by Shandukani Mulaudzi (@ShanduMul)

 

15:37 

At Franklin D Roosevelt Primary School in Roosevelt Park, Johannesburg, citizens were queuing from 7.15am and waited almost an hour and a half to vote. By the afternoon the queue had calmed down, with about 20 people waiting in line. Alison Visser took this picture - and five minutes to vote.

 15:29

Check out our roving reporter Shandukani Mulaudzi covering the elections on Snapchat. Follow her @ShanduMul. Here's taste of what you can expect

15:02

In the "Windy City" (Nelson Mandela Bay) voters had to experience cold, rainy weather as they made their democratic mark. Portable toilets were overpowered by the strong wind and the DA desk outside the Veeplaas United Congregation Church had its covering broken. Lubabalo Ngcukana took these pictures

14:54

Winnie Mandela was accompanied by Paul Mashatile and AKA as she took to the Orlando West High School voting station.

14:32

Voter "hijacking": Police had to intervene as a war of words broke out this morning between ANC and UDM supporters in ward 30 – one of the most hotly contested in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. Our reporter Lubabalo Ngcukana has this report for us

14:30

Maimane has warned that he has an “entire legal fraternity” waiting to act should the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) fail to conduct free and fair elections. 

Read the full story here

14:08

Dikeledi Sibanda, a resident of Katlehong took this picture at the gate of the voting station at Alafang High School. The women pictured had registration lists and were helping voters find out if they were voting at the correct station. They also urged people to vote for the ANC.


13:53

After casting his vote Mbeki walked around the polling station greeting citizens. Mbeki said he has been troubled by the political killings. He said that South Africa needed to set an example for free and fair elections for the rest of the continent. The former president also did not say who he voted for, emphasising the need for a secret ballot. "I raised importance of keeping votes secret to ensure people vote freely with their conscience and don't feel intimidated"

 

13:17

Vuwani update: Our man on the ground Poloko Tau says that it is still hostile in Vuwani but no violence to report of yet. Here is his summary:

It is still hostile. Residents have started playing football in silent boycott of elections. Elsewhere in the area very few people were trickling in to vote. Just went to one voting station in Matsila Village where only 22 people have voted by midday.

Read the reason why residents chose to play soccer instead of voting 

12:40

Former president Thabo Mbeki took a stroll to the Holy Family College where he cast his vote. DA members who pitched a tent outside the voting station shouted at him as walked past to "vote wisely!". 

12:27

Earlier S'thembile Cele was in Tshwane where Mmusi Maimane was alongside Solly Msimanga. Read here why the DA leader told voters to vote DA even if they were not members of the party. 

12:22

The young man who yelled at Motlanthe was subsequently thrown out of the voting station 

12:04

Former president Kgalema Motlanthe was speaking to journalists earlier when a young man shouted "How do you sleep at night?". Motlanthe told journalists that "it's part of his democratic right. It's his opinion; we can only respect that right". 

11:36

Queues at Killarney seem to be getting longer as the morning stretches on. While in Randeor Primary, where mayor Parks Tau is expected to vote, more than 500 people have already cast their vote.

11:31

Former president Kgalema Motlanthe arrives at the Killarney Country Club surrounded by a host of body guards. He was welcomed by ANC Gauteng secretary Hope Papo and mayor Parks Tau. Motlanthe and wife Gugu decided to stand in the queue even after they were offered to enter the voting station by the presiding officer. 

11:13

Mayor of Johannesburg, Parks Tau is expected to vote at the Randeor Primary School voting station. Outside the voting station EFF agents can be seen along with DA and ANC agents. 

11:04 CORRECTION

Motlanthe is expected to vote first then Mbeki will vote at 12pm.

10:56

At 10:00 in Dobsonville voting stations reported that at least 181 people had voted. In Westcliff it took voters an hour to vote.

10:31

Former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe will cast their vote at the Killarney Country Club voting station at 11am and 12pm respectively.

10:27

Mmusi Maimane was seen accompanying DA's Tshwane mayoral candidate Solly Msimanga at the Capital Park Primary voting station. Maimane cast his vote earlier in the morning and will later jet off to Nelson Mandela Bay where he will join another mayoral candidate, Athol Trollip.

9:45

ANC and DA agents were seen at most polling stations this morning but journalists repored that in some places the EFF were not seen at all.

9:30

In Dobsonville, DA leader Mmusi Maimane's home town, the DSJ voting station opened its doors at 7.30am and by 9.30am 200 people had voted already. 

9:18

At the Avhatondwi Primary School in Vyeboom, near Vuwani, police had to remove barricades blocking access to the voting station this morning. Police and the military are keeping guard at the voting station, while they set up a tent. The voting station has not opened yet. 



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