Comments on: A vote at last! (1994)

By: O'forth

O'forth — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 19:22:30 +0000

That was some day to remember. The wonderful thing still is the patience of people when voting as was the case in 2009. If we could live like that all the time South Africa has nothing to fear for its future. You are wrong about Smuts though. He would have proudly tippet his cap at you for achieving your goals.

By: causticgit

causticgit — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 05:05:26 +0000

I was 8 in 1994, and we had moved to New Jersey when I was just a baby. We all got together, my parents and a family friend from SA, and drove to Philadelphia for the vote.

I remember this day.

The atmosphere was happy, proud. The lines weren’t nearly as long, but we saw them on television later. I remember a line snaking across a green field.

My mom was allowed to take me into the booth with her. I was fascinated by the fluorescent stamps. The ballot was so long, with so many parties! I especially remember the KISS party on the ballot and asked my mom about it. Them and the Soccer party. I don’t remember seeing the mark on the ballot, but she voted for Mandela.

I’m still an SA citizen so I can’t vote in America. I can feel the same stirrings in the air–something momentous happening. The long lines for early voters make it clear, this is a big one.

Thank you for sharing your experience.

By: bojinx

bojinx — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:49:38 +0000

wow. I was still here, in CT when this happened… but I was to young to vote. I can only imagine the atmosphere… wow.

By: Laura

Laura — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 08:57:15 +0000

Ah reading this got me choked up in some places…
Can I use it, or extracts from it, for our Freedom Day celebrations?

Remember those tiny parties – the soccer party for pete’s sake!!!

By: Odette

Odette — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:20:04 +0000

I remember my first time voting, in 1994. I felt such a thrill that I now had the vote and that my vote would count.

I went on my own to the polling station because I wanted to take it all in without having to chat to friends or family. I remember standing at the back of a long queue that snaked around the corner for several hundred metres. All around me I saw smiling happy faces. There was an air of barely contained excitement, a party atmosphere.

I’ve voted in every election since (local and national) and each time is special but that first time, oh, I will never forget it.