IEC hopeful youth will turn out
The IEC is hoping the youth will have made their way to voting stations to make their crosses by the end of the day, chief electoral officer Mosotho Moepya said on Wednesday.
"Of course we would like them to come and we still have a long day and we are hoping they will make their way to voting stations by tonight," he told reporters at the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) results centre in Pretoria.
"We note that in the majority of instances they do not make their way to voting stations first thing in the morning."
Many people queuing at voting stations around the country commented on the lack of young people at the polling stations.
Moepya said as of 10am voting was proceeding smoothly, peacefully, and briskly.
"In echoes of 1994, South Africans of all races, genders, cultures, languages, and backgrounds were once again united as a nation," he said.
Shortly after the 7am start 89 percent of the 22,263 voting stations opened on schedule. This had increased to 95 percent by 9am.
By 11am the final handful of stations which had experienced delays were in the process of opening.
The delays were primarily logistical and of a staffing nature.
- Sapa