Thousands of South Africans across the globe will have the chance to cast their vote today. Their votes will be counted together with those cast on 22 April, the date of the national elections.
The right expats have to vote was a matter hotly contested over the last few months, eventually they were granted the right to vote and many people celebrated the victory. This election is said to be the most important since the 1994 election when South Africa held its first democratic election, this is due to a number of reasons one of which is to see whether or not there is any real opposition to the ruling ANC who in the past has enjoyed landslide victories.
The months preceding the election were also marred by controversy over the charges against Jacob Zuma, ANC party president, being reinstated and then dismissed a number of times. We also saw former President Thabo Mbeki ousted under a cloud of suspicion and replaced by current President Kgalema Motlanthe.
The election has unfortunately also seen alot of violence most markedly in Kwazulu Natal where ANC and IFP supporters often clash. Hopefully this will be the last election where people lose their lives due to their political opinion.
Whatever the outcome of the election may it be a peaceful transition and a further step forward in uniting our country.
