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Electoral officials from several voting stations in several areas clustered under Vuwani were expected to count very few votes following reports of poor voter turnout in the area amid a silent elections boycott.
There were reports that staff at some voting stations have gone back with completely sealed and unused ballot papers after no voters showed up in Vyeboom.
Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) staff at at least two stations in Vyeboom were seen packing up and leaving earlier than the official voting cut-off time of 7pm.
One of those was Avhatondi primary school in Vyeboom village. The station opened about an hour later than the official opening time of 7am after police cleared the street leading to the venue of rocks that were used to barricade the road. A few hours later, IEC officials were still sitting idle, with no votes to process.
Residents of Vyeboom, which is right next to Vuwani town, not only decided to boycott elections but settled on an alternative activity for the public holiday.
Instead of going to vote, residents organised a football tournament. The teams were varied – even elderly women and pre-school children participated.
Once the dust had settled on the playing field, residents took to the dance floors, and loud music billowed from big speakers.
Communities embarked on a protest in early May and demanded that the municipal demarcation board reverse its decision to have Vuwani areas incorporated into the new municipality with Malamulele and Hlanganani.
They would rather remain in the Makhado municipality.
More than 20 schools were torched during violent protests in the area, which caused three months of no schooling as well as a socioeconomic shutdown in the area.
Dancing residents waved and cheered at a police helicopter that hovered above the area.
They did the same as a convoy of army vehicles drove by. Soldiers were in the area early this morning setting up tents at voting stations and helping with other logistical matters.
National acting police commissioner, Lieutenant General Kgomotso Phahlane, said earlier this week that soldiers would be in the area to provide support but would not form part of the security plan.
“I believe voting is important if we are seeking to influence any decisions but I could not, as an individual, go vote when most people were against it. A box of matches only costs 50c and that’s all they need to reduce my family house to rubble and ashes,” a community member in Vyeboom said.
A 25-year-old man in Ha-Matsila village said he decided to go vote knowing the risk that comes with it.
“I know they’re watching me but I support my party whole-heartedly and I just had to vote and ensure our councillor goes through. Whatever happens after this I will take it like a man,” he said.
Meanwhile, an governing body member of one of the local schools, who wished not to be named, said a decision was reached with the education department for schools to resume by next week at the latest.
“Obviously, most schools are not in a good condition after they were damaged during the protests and so parents and children were expected to go clean the classrooms on Thursday. We’re also expecting school furniture to start arriving this week and for schooling to resume on Monday,” she said.
