Local poll off to smooth start
Johannesburg - South Africa's third post-1994 local government election got underway without obvious hitches at 07:00 on Wednesday.
President Thabo Mbeki was the first voter to cast his ballot at the Colbyn voting station in Pretoria.
He was welcomed by Independent Electoral Commission chair Brigalia Bam and Chief Electoral Officer Pansy Tlakula.
Officials at voting stations visited by Sapa reporters said logistics were in place for a smooth poll to elect about 45 000 councillors in 283 municipalities.
Hot spots
At likely trouble spots, such as Khutsong in the North West and Matatiele in the Eastern Cape, the day also began quietly.
Khutsong was very wet, with the few people in the streets saying they were not going to vote.
An armoured vehicle was parked next to each tent in anticipation of any flare-up in the area, which is in the throes of a border dispute.
At Matatiele, whose community had at one stage considered applying for an election postponement, about 25 people were already queueing at the town hall by 06:30 and a handful of voters were waiting at two stations visited in the township.
"All in all a relaxed start to voting," said a Sapa reporter on the scene.
Power failures
The Western Cape's power failures hit the voting station at Pinelands Town Hall early in the morning with presiding officer Fred Sherwet saying power was off when staff arrived there at 05:00.
Power was restored just after 06:00.
In Durbanville the power supply was fine, with officials rolling out banners in preparation.
At St Cyprian's School in Vredehoek, officials had stocked up with lanterns and candles in case there was a power failure.
Presiding officer Rita Bartnicke said: "We're all set and ready to go."
It also had candles and lamps for back-up.
"But it will help us quite a lot if the power can stay on for the duration of the election," said Sherwet.
De Lille, Leon
Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille is expected to vote at Pinelands, while Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon will cast his vote in Newlands.
At Eureka Primary in Kimberley in the Northern Cape, presiding officer Susan Furie said: "No problems are expected, we are a small ward."
At the nearby Newtown primary school the presiding officer Veronica Molusi said she had to chase away a Democratic Alliance candidate who was putting up posters within the bounds of her voting station.
A polling station visited in Arcadia, Pretoria, was quiet with officials ready for voting to begin.
Elderly
At a voting station in the Universitas area of Bloemfontein in the Free State, elderly people arrived early to make sure they had seating prior to voting starting at 07:00.
Seventy-three-year-old Rita Barnes of Emmarentia, Johannesburg, said: "I am a senior citizen, I sincerely hope the crime rate drops.
"I do, however, see an improvement in some services, but there is always room for more." Meanwhile, John Suffolk said: "Some people don't vote. They just stand at the sidelines and make comments.
"They have the right (to vote) and they are not using it."
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