Voting stations remain deserted in Vuwani in Limpopo‚ with people flocking to a local football ground in Vyeboom where games have been organised to snub elections.

People who were supposed to be queuing at polling stations were seen kicking a ball around at the football ground‚ with some residents wearing red T-shirts with “Phanda Makhado Phanda” (Forward with Makhado Forward) to make their statement.

Residents of the town‚ which was recently the scene of violent protests‚ said they would rather spend their voting day holiday playing than going to vote.

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Independent Electoral Commission officials and party agents sat on the ground without chairs to sit on or tables for stationery at the temporary voting station set up outside Thsivundzanani primary school. They had no one to serve as residents passed by the station to get to the football ground 500 metres down the road.

The presiding officer at the station confirmed that no one had come to vote by noon.

IEC officials in the area appear to have been instructed not to interact with the media‚ with many remaining mum even when they were merely greeted.

Rocks strewn all over the dirt roads and a high presence of the police and military personnel are the manifestation of the community’s resolute stance.

“We are peaceful‚ as you can see. The way police and soldiers are set on us‚ one would believe we are warmongers. We just want to play but most of all‚ we want our area back to Makhado‚” said a resident who refused to be named.

With a folded camping chair strapped to her back and passing the voting station as she headed towards the football ground‚ Tshilidzi Mudau‚ 40‚ said: “What our government did to us is painful. Malamulele residents fought for their own municipality but when we beg not to be incorporated into the new Malamulele municipality‚ cops are set on us.”

Military personnel drove around in a convoy‚ pitching tents at voting stations earlier in the morning but this failed to lure any voters.

The state beefed up security in Vuwani following the continued shutdown of the area by residents.

This came after protests at the decision by the Municipal Demarcation Board to forge forward with plans to merge Vuwani into a new municipality despite the residents’ displeasure.

The protests resulted in damage to 27 schools in Vuwani earlier this year‚ affecting about 52‚000 learners.

Voting is meanwhile going smoothly in the nearby town of Levubu‚ about 12Km from Vuwani.

TMG Digital/The Times

READ WHAT MALEMA HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE TOWN WHERE NOBODY VOTED