Peaceful South African 4th General Elections.

Peaceful South African 4th General Elections. (Headline)

The 4th Free General Elections held on the 22nd April 2009 is a watershed moment in South Africa’s new democracy. Previous elections were held in 1994, 1999, 2004 and now these in 2009.

A colleague and I photographed about 19 polling stations in total all over Buffalo City (subs correct) in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

My general feelings and impression is a well co-ordinated and planned event with a few if any hic-cups. The smooth running event in my province was a pleasure to be part of with myself voting just after 7am. I experienced a minimal delay after the polling station open at 7am and the professional IEC staff quickly processing my ID document before marking my hand with an indelible dye that stained my thumb on my left hand purple.

Interestingly enough in the largely non-white and predominately black areas I spent most of my day my skin colour was less of an issue once they looked at my thumb and it’s purple stain.

I found it quite extraordinary how many South Africans took ownership of these elections. During the afternoon I met some ANC members in Mdantsane(subs correct), an African township that the previous government had shepherded non-white South Africans into during the vile social experimentation. These festive and congenial ANC members had never met me but fed both Terrence Mtola my colleague and myself.

A huge steaming meat stew with a thick broth and with thickly cut vegetables. Despite the meat being way fatter than I was used to, I ate the meal with relish with ululating and dancing ANC members regaled in the political t-shirts, scarves, posters and banners. The children dancing in the streets shouting political and struggle songs and even Jacob Zuma’s favourite song: Umshini Wami (Bring me my machine gun) (subs correct)

Here was I, a previous South African soldier, a white boy from a middle class background, conscripted into the armed forces of the apartheid government and force-fed National politics for decades even through out my schooling – eating a meal in the black township. I was sure that I was one of the very few white faces in that environment today.

I was feed, laughed at, and laughed with a group of the nicest people I had met in a long time. A huge and attractive women and who was one of the cooks, insisted I have second helpings but I refused when saw the faces of the others who had not yet been fed. ANC had set up a feeding station for the numerous ANC volunteers in the polling station.

Further up the road, maybe ten meters or so was a table with a few COPEmembers (Congress of the People). Quietly getting along with their business.
I experience tolerance in the townships and amongst all the people of colour throughout the days elections..

Policemen, in the poor settlement of Ducats (subs correct) on the outskirts of the coastal city East London observed much earlier on the day that the young bucks, were till to hung over to case any trouble. But wait, come the afternoon they are going to have their hands full.

I experience on polling stating that ran out of ballot papers otherwise apart from harried IEC staff all the poling station I visited where professional run operations.

The old and infirm, handicapped and pregnant where helped to the front of the quest and those already in the long lines waiting to vote, jostled amongst themselves, laughed, swopped stories and told the odd joke here and there.

Those enterpreneers amongst the votes set up cool drink a, fruit and sweet stalls and did a consistent trade during the day. When the light faded so did I, left the slowly filling up polling stations to deal with the stragglers and those who obviously planned badly to vote.

Polling station closed at 9pm when the those IEC staff got a 20 minute break and the then turned these voting stations into counting stations. Results will filter in to the local headquarters based in an upmarket hotel on the East London beachfront. A clear idea of the results should be available some time of Friday afternoon.

It is a foregone conclusion that ANC will win but the question is but how much and did Cope split the ANC vote?

Bazil Raubach based in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Peaceful South African 4th General Elections. (Headline)

The 4th Free General Elections held on the 22nd April 2009 is a watershed moment in South Africa’s new democracy. Previous elections were held in 1994, 1999, 2004 and now these in 2009.

A colleague and I photographed about 19 polling stations in total all over Buffalo City (subs correct) in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

My general feelings and impression is a well co-ordinated and planned event with a few if any hic-cups. The smooth running event in my province was a pleasure to be part of with myself voting just after 7am. I experienced a minimal delay after the polling station open at 7am and the professional IEC staff quickly processing my ID document before marking my hand with an indelible dye that stained my thumb on my left hand purple.

Interestingly enough in the largely non-white and predominately black areas I spent most of my day my skin colour was less of an issue once they looked at my thumb and it’s purple stain.

I found it quite extraordinary how many South Africans took ownership of these elections. During the afternoon I met some ANC members in Mdantsane(subs correct), an African township that the previous government had shepherded non-white South Africans into during the vile social experimentation. These festive and congenial ANC members had never met me but fed both Terrence Mtola my colleague and myself.

A huge steaming meat stew with a thick broth and with thickly cut vegetables. Despite the meat being way fatter than I was used to, I ate the meal with relish with ululating and dancing ANC members regaled in the political t-shirts, scarves, posters and banners. The children dancing in the streets shouting political and struggle songs and even Jacob Zuma’s favourite song: Umshini Wami (Bring me my machine gun) (subs correct)

Here was I, a previous South African soldier, a white boy from a middle class background, conscripted into the armed forces of the apartheid government and force-fed National politics for decades even through out my schooling – eating a meal in the black township. I was sure that I was one of the very few white faces in that environment today.

I was feed, laughed at, and laughed with a group of the nicest people I had met in a long time. A huge and attractive women and who was one of the cooks, insisted I have second helpings but I refused when saw the faces of the others who had not yet been fed. ANC had set up a feeding station for the numerous ANC volunteers in the polling station.

Further up the road, maybe ten meters or so was a table with a few COPEmembers (Congress of the People). Quietly getting along with their business.
I experience tolerance in the townships and amongst all the people of colour throughout the days elections..

Policemen, in the poor settlement of Ducats (subs correct) on the outskirts of the coastal city East London observed much earlier on the day that the young bucks, were till to hung over to case any trouble. But wait, come the afternoon they are going to have their hands full.

I experience on polling stating that ran out of ballot papers otherwise apart from harried IEC staff all the poling station I visited where professional run operations.

The old and infirm, handicapped and pregnant where helped to the front of the quest and those already in the long lines waiting to vote, jostled amongst themselves, laughed, swopped stories and told the odd joke here and there.

Those enterpreneers amongst the votes set up cool drink a, fruit and sweet stalls and did a consistent trade during the day. When the light faded so did I, left the slowly filling up polling stations to deal with the stragglers and those who obviously planned badly to vote.

Polling station closed at 9pm when the those IEC staff got a 20 minute break and the then turned these voting stations into counting stations. Results will filter in to the local headquarters based in an upmarket hotel on the East London beachfront. A clear idea of the results should be available some time of Friday afternoon.

It is a foregone conclusion that ANC will win but the question is but how much and did Cope split the ANC vote?

Bazil Raubach based in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Peaceful South African 4th General Elections. (Headline)

The 4th Free General Elections held on the 22nd April 2009 is a watershed moment in South Africa’s new democracy. Previous elections were held in 1994, 1999, 2004 and now these in 2009.

A colleague and I photographed about 19 polling stations in total all over Buffalo City (subs correct) in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

My general feelings and impression is a well co-ordinated and planned event with a few if any hic-cups. The smooth running event in my province was a pleasure to be part of with myself voting just after 7am. I experienced a minimal delay after the polling station open at 7am and the professional IEC staff quickly processing my ID document before marking my hand with an indelible dye that stained my thumb on my left hand purple.

Interestingly enough in the largely non-white and predominately black areas I spent most of my day my skin colour was less of an issue once they looked at my thumb and it’s purple stain.

I found it quite extraordinary how many South Africans took ownership of these elections. During the afternoon I met some ANC members in Mdantsane(subs correct), an African township that the previous government had shepherded non-white South Africans into during the vile social experimentation. These festive and congenial ANC members had never met me but fed both Terrence Mtola my colleague and myself.

A huge steaming meat stew with a thick broth and with thickly cut vegetables. Despite the meat being way fatter than I was used to, I ate the meal with relish with ululating and dancing ANC members regaled in the political t-shirts, scarves, posters and banners. The children dancing in the streets shouting political and struggle songs and even Jacob Zuma’s favourite song: Umshini Wami (Bring me my machine gun) (subs correct)

Here was I, a previous South African soldier, a white boy from a middle class background, conscripted into the armed forces of the apartheid government and force-fed National politics for decades even through out my schooling – eating a meal in the black township. I was sure that I was one of the very few white faces in that environment today.

I was feed, laughed at, and laughed with a group of the nicest people I had met in a long time. A huge and attractive women and who was one of the cooks, insisted I have second helpings but I refused when saw the faces of the others who had not yet been fed. ANC had set up a feeding station for the numerous ANC volunteers in the polling station.

Further up the road, maybe ten meters or so was a table with a few COPEmembers (Congress of the People). Quietly getting along with their business.
I experience tolerance in the townships and amongst all the people of colour throughout the days elections..

Policemen, in the poor settlement of Ducats (subs correct) on the outskirts of the coastal city East London observed much earlier on the day that the young bucks, were till to hung over to case any trouble. But wait, come the afternoon they are going to have their hands full.

I experience on polling stating that ran out of ballot papers otherwise apart from harried IEC staff all the poling station I visited where professional run operations.

The old and infirm, handicapped and pregnant where helped to the front of the quest and those already in the long lines waiting to vote, jostled amongst themselves, laughed, swopped stories and told the odd joke here and there.

Those enterpreneers amongst the votes set up cool drink a, fruit and sweet stalls and did a consistent trade during the day. When the light faded so did I, left the slowly filling up polling stations to deal with the stragglers and those who obviously planned badly to vote.

Polling station closed at 9pm when the those IEC staff got a 20 minute break and the then turned these voting stations into counting stations. Results will filter in to the local headquarters based in an upmarket hotel on the East London beachfront. A clear idea of the results should be available some time of Friday afternoon.

It is a foregone conclusion that ANC will win but the question is but how much and did Cope split the ANC vote?

Bazil Raubach based in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Peaceful South African 4th General Elections. (Headline)

The 4th Free General Elections held on the 22nd April 2009 is a watershed moment in South Africa’s new democracy. Previous elections were held in 1994, 1999, 2004 and now these in 2009.

A colleague and I photographed about 19 polling stations in total all over Buffalo City (subs correct) in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

My general feelings and impression is a well co-ordinated and planned event with a few if any hic-cups. The smooth running event in my province was a pleasure to be part of with myself voting just after 7am. I experienced a minimal delay after the polling station open at 7am and the professional IEC staff quickly processing my ID document before marking my hand with an indelible dye that stained my thumb on my left hand purple.

Interestingly enough in the largely non-white and predominately black areas I spent most of my day my skin colour was less of an issue once they looked at my thumb and it’s purple stain.

I found it quite extraordinary how many South Africans took ownership of these elections. During the afternoon I met some ANC members in Mdantsane(subs correct), an African township that the previous government had shepherded non-white South Africans into during the vile social experimentation. These festive and congenial ANC members had never met me but fed both Terrence Mtola my colleague and myself.

A huge steaming meat stew with a thick broth and with thickly cut vegetables. Despite the meat being way fatter than I was used to, I ate the meal with relish with ululating and dancing ANC members regaled in the political t-shirts, scarves, posters and banners. The children dancing in the streets shouting political and struggle songs and even Jacob Zuma’s favourite song: Umshini Wami (Bring me my machine gun) (subs correct)

Here was I, a previous South African soldier, a white boy from a middle class background, conscripted into the armed forces of the apartheid government and force-fed National politics for decades even through out my schooling – eating a meal in the black township. I was sure that I was one of the very few white faces in that environment today.

I was feed, laughed at, and laughed with a group of the nicest people I had met in a long time. A huge and attractive women and who was one of the cooks, insisted I have second helpings but I refused when saw the faces of the others who had not yet been fed. ANC had set up a feeding station for the numerous ANC volunteers in the polling station.

Further up the road, maybe ten meters or so was a table with a few COPEmembers (Congress of the People). Quietly getting along with their business.
I experience tolerance in the townships and amongst all the people of colour throughout the days elections..

Policemen, in the poor settlement of Ducats (subs correct) on the outskirts of the coastal city East London observed much earlier on the day that the young bucks, were till to hung over to case any trouble. But wait, come the afternoon they are going to have their hands full.

I experience on polling stating that ran out of ballot papers otherwise apart from harried IEC staff all the poling station I visited where professional run operations.

The old and infirm, handicapped and pregnant where helped to the front of the quest and those already in the long lines waiting to vote, jostled amongst themselves, laughed, swopped stories and told the odd joke here and there.

Those enterpreneers amongst the votes set up cool drink a, fruit and sweet stalls and did a consistent trade during the day. When the light faded so did I, left the slowly filling up polling stations to deal with the stragglers and those who obviously planned badly to vote.

Polling station closed at 9pm when the those IEC staff got a 20 minute break and the then turned these voting stations into counting stations. Results will filter in to the local headquarters based in an upmarket hotel on the East London beachfront. A clear idea of the results should be available some time of Friday afternoon.

It is a foregone conclusion that ANC will win but the question is but how much and did Cope split the ANC vote?

Bazil Raubach based in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Peaceful South African 4th General Elections. (Headline)

The 4th Free General Elections held on the 22nd April 2009 is a watershed moment in South Africa’s new democracy. Previous elections were held in 1994, 1999, 2004 and now these in 2009.

A colleague and I photographed about 19 polling stations in total all over Buffalo City (subs correct) in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

My general feelings and impression is a well co-ordinated and planned event with a few if any hic-cups. The smooth running event in my province was a pleasure to be part of with myself voting just after 7am. I experienced a minimal delay after the polling station open at 7am and the professional IEC staff quickly processing my ID document before marking my hand with an indelible dye that stained my thumb on my left hand purple.

Interestingly enough in the largely non-white and predominately black areas I spent most of my day my skin colour was less of an issue once they looked at my thumb and it’s purple stain.

I found it quite extraordinary how many South Africans took ownership of these elections. During the afternoon I met some ANC members in Mdantsane(subs correct), an African township that the previous government had shepherded non-white South Africans into during the vile social experimentation. These festive and congenial ANC members had never met me but fed both Terrence Mtola my colleague and myself.

A huge steaming meat stew with a thick broth and with thickly cut vegetables. Despite the meat being way fatter than I was used to, I ate the meal with relish with ululating and dancing ANC members regaled in the political t-shirts, scarves, posters and banners. The children dancing in the streets shouting political and struggle songs and even Jacob Zuma’s favourite song: Umshini Wami (Bring me my machine gun) (subs correct)

Here was I, a previous South African soldier, a white boy from a middle class background, conscripted into the armed forces of the apartheid government and force-fed National politics for decades even through out my schooling – eating a meal in the black township. I was sure that I was one of the very few white faces in that environment today.

I was feed, laughed at, and laughed with a group of the nicest people I had met in a long time. A huge and attractive women and who was one of the cooks, insisted I have second helpings but I refused when saw the faces of the others who had not yet been fed. ANC had set up a feeding station for the numerous ANC volunteers in the polling station.

Further up the road, maybe ten meters or so was a table with a few COPEmembers (Congress of the People). Quietly getting along with their business.
I experience tolerance in the townships and amongst all the people of colour throughout the days elections..

Policemen, in the poor settlement of Ducats (subs correct) on the outskirts of the coastal city East London observed much earlier on the day that the young bucks, were till to hung over to case any trouble. But wait, come the afternoon they are going to have their hands full.

I experience on polling stating that ran out of ballot papers otherwise apart from harried IEC staff all the poling station I visited where professional run operations.

The old and infirm, handicapped and pregnant where helped to the front of the quest and those already in the long lines waiting to vote, jostled amongst themselves, laughed, swopped stories and told the odd joke here and there.

Those enterpreneers amongst the votes set up cool drink a, fruit and sweet stalls and did a consistent trade during the day. When the light faded so did I, left the slowly filling up polling stations to deal with the stragglers and those who obviously planned badly to vote.

Polling station closed at 9pm when the those IEC staff got a 20 minute break and the then turned these voting stations into counting stations. Results will filter in to the local headquarters based in an upmarket hotel on the East London beachfront. A clear idea of the results should be available some time of Friday afternoon.

It is a foregone conclusion that ANC will win but the question is but how much and did Cope split the ANC vote?

Bazil Raubach based in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.