ActionSA’s KwaZulu-Natal Premier candidate, Zwakele Mncwango voted at Pitlochry Primary School in Westville this afternoon.
Mncwango said while young people have been encouraged to come out and vote, there are still some issues that need to be addressed.
“We are voting at a time when there are exams at universities and most young people are not at home and did not change their addresses.
“Now we have an election on a Wednesday; yes it is a holiday but, someone studying in Cape Town or Pretoria, it is difficult to leave the university and go home and vote,” said Mncwango.
He went on to say that his daughter who is studying in Pretoria had to fly to KZN to vote. “How many young people can afford to do that?”
He added that this means that more young people have been denied their right to cast their votes.
“The system itself must look at maybe a three-day holiday where people are allowed to travel to their respective homes to vote. I think it may have been an issue of security to say people must vote where they registered.
“But now look at the experiences of young people and those who are working, because someone who knocked off at 5pm yesterday, it was impractical and impossible to go home and cast their votes,” Mncwango said.
Voting stations will close at 9pm this evening with the South African Police Service (SAPS) saying they will protect those who go to vote at night. Those at the voting station ahead of the 9pm cut-off time will be allowed to vote.
“In low-risk areas, for example, there will be two police officers, (while) in medium-risk polls, the number of officers will increase,” said Police Ministry spokesperson Lirandzu Themba.
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