Elderly and disabled people found the process at voting stations in Bloemfontein was slow, but quick for them.

At the stations around town, all elderly people were removed from the queues and moved to the front of the line so they did not have to wait longer.

The line was extremely long at St. Michael’s School on Wednesday afternoon, but the elderly, disabled, and pregnant voters were prioritised.

“I am a senior citizen living in Brandwag for 32 years now and this is the first time the voting process has gone so slowly since I started voting here,” said elderly voter Barbara van Vuuren.

Van Vuuren (74) said she first voted when she turned eighteen and she’s been voting in all the other elections. 

“Improvement is what I would like to see from these elections, things are in a terrible state in our country I don’t know. Our country is really a mess and I hope something will be done.”

IEC records show more than 53,000 from the age group 70–79 registered to vote in the Free State and more than 100,000 from the age group 60–69.

To help people with disabilities and special needs cast an independent and confidential ballot during elections, IEC and the South African National Council for the Blind created the Universal Ballot Template.

The UBT can be used by blind and partially-sighted people, low-vision users, dyslexic people, the elderly, people with low literacy, and people with motor and nervous conditions that do not allow a steady hand.

‘I stood in a line for 30 minutes before the officers at the station noticed me’

“When I got to the voting station this afternoon, I stood in a line for 30 minutes before the officers at the station noticed me and I was moved out of the line to go and vote because I am an old person,” said a 75-year-old voter at St. Michael’s School.

“The process was very fast and I was done within five minutes. I would like to see a difference in this country as things have changed for the worse.”

Voting stations will close at 9 pm in the country.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame cg