From first-time voters experiencing the excitement of casting a ballot for the first time to lifelong voters determined never to surrender that right, CapeTalk’s Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit brought listeners into the heart of Election Day on Wednesday.

As voting stations prepared to open for the 2026 Local Government Elections, the programme heard from voters across the Western Cape, giving a sense of the anticipation, queues and conversations unfolding in communities.

CapeTalk producer Maxine Peters was among those waiting for a voting station in Parow West to officially open. She was accompanied by her daughter, Jorja, who was about to vote for the first time.

For Jorja, casting her first ballot was an opportunity to take part in the country's democracy and to have a say in the future of her community. Her mother shared in the excitement of the occasion, as another generation prepared to exercise its right to vote.

Other listeners shared their experiences from voting stations around the province.

Muhammad, calling from Athlone, spoke about his commitment to voting despite his disappointment with politics and the challenges posed by his worsening eyesight.

In Sea Point, Max said he had arrived at the Kings Road voting station at 6.20am. He was eighth in the queue and had completed his vote by 7.05am.

Sarah-Jane Makwala King, reporting from the South Peninsula High School voting station in the Deep River area, described queues stretching around the block. She spoke about voting as both a right and an obligation, particularly for a generation whose predecessors had been denied that opportunity. She also encouraged voters to bring water and be prepared to wait.

Listeners in Pinelands and Somerset West also described the atmosphere at their voting stations, with some reporting queues and others noting the familiar sense of anticipation that accompanies an election.

The programme also crossed to Eyewitness News reporters Lindsay Dentlinger, Lauren Isaacs and Mihle George, who were covering developments at voting stations around Cape Town.

Lauren Isaacs was in Kensington, where a particularly unusual ward contest involved brothers Ashwin Jansen, representing the DA, and Cheslin Daniels, representing the PA. Daniels had previously made history by becoming Cape Town’s first PA ward councillor following a 2023 by-election.

Mihle George reported from Nyanga, where fewer than 20 people had voted at the Assembly of God voting station by the time of her report. There was a police presence, while political parties were also out canvassing for support.

Lindsay Dentlinger provided the broader political context, including the challenges of local government elections, the importance of smaller parties and coalition politics, and the local issues that often shape how people vote.

The programme also heard from Mickey Mentz, citizen journalist and editor of News62.co.za, who was covering Route 62 and the greater Swellendam area, and Hannes Visser of the Oudtshoorn Courant, reporting from Oudtshoorn.

And then there was a special Election Day guest: Tannie Evita Bezuidenhout, the much-loved political character created and performed by satirist Pieter-Dirk Uys, joining the programme from Darling.

Tannie Evita described the atmosphere in the queue at her voting station, where she was surrounded by people she knew. For her, the experience was as much about community as it was about casting a ballot. Her granddaughter was voting for the first time, while her grandson had also joined the queue to experience the occasion.

Her message was clear: the vote is secret and sacred, and nobody should feel intimidated or pressured when exercising that right. She urged South Africans to remember where the country comes from, to appreciate the democratic rights they now have and not to take the opportunity to vote for granted.

From the excitement of first-time voters to the reflections of those who remember a very different South Africa, the morning’s coverage captured the many personal reasons people turn out on Election Day.

And perhaps Tannie Evita’s reminder was the most fitting way to end the morning: remember where we come from, appreciate where we are going, and make your vote count.

Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit is a podcast of the CapeTalk breakfast show. 

This programme is your authentic Cape Town wake-up call. Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit is informative, enlightening and accessible. The team’s ability to spot & share relevant and unusual stories make the programme inclusive and thought-provoking. Don’t miss the popular World View feature at 7:45am daily. 

Listen out for #LesterInYourLounge which is an outside broadcast – from the home of a listener in a different part of Cape Town - on the first Wednesday of every month. This show introduces you to interesting Capetonians as well as their favourite communities, habits, local personalities and neighbourhood news. 

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