OFM News spoke to one of the voters around the Universitas area, Jason Carlse, who said that it took him a mere 10 minutes to cast his vote during the 2021 Local Government Elections. He says the whole process was unimaginably efficient and quite smoothly conducted. Carlse says his hopes are that the winning party will improve service delivery in Bloemfontein. He adds that he wants to be proud to live in The City of Roses again and hopes that his vote will help make a difference.

OFM News previously reported that the areas in Universitas were lively with dozens of voters happy to line up to cast their vote Monday during the 2021 local government elections.

Many of them were travelling as a family to ensure that their right to vote is practiced.

According to the Free State IEC spokesperson, Mathabo Rasengane, they worked tirelessly to ensure that Covid-19 protocols were stringently adhered to with all involved parties wearing masks, sanitising, and implementing social distancing.

Rasengane adds that by 6pm last night, less than a quarter of the 1.4 million registered voters had cast their ballots. She says this is a concern and it highlights the disinterest in the 2021 Local Government Elections.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi and Lee Simmons