By Seleoe Nonyane
Yesterday’s local government elections were marked by an extremely low turn-out of voters at stations in Ha Leqele in Maseru.
By 3pm only one out of 187 voters had turned up at the Ha Matala-based Malengoaneng polling station.
Many people failed to cast their votes because their names did not appear on the voters’ roll.
At least 87 people were sent away and told to go and look for their names at other polling stations.
At Ha Leqele polling station, of the 500 expected voters less than 60 voters showed up.
The youth were seen going about their daily business.
One of them, Moroesi Molapo (31) said she did not see the significance of local elections and therefore, she would not be voting.
She said it was a public holiday and she was determined make the most of it.
“I am going to get as much rest as I can instead of wasting time on voting.
“I do not even know the candidates standing for this election,” she said, adding that voting would be pointless.
Even the elderly were going about their business, oblivious to the elections.
Seated outside his home at Ha Leqele at 4:23pm, Masilo Khanare (66) said he had decided not to vote.
He said the local government elections were useless to him.
“I have not seen the use of these elections for as long since I started voting; this is my second time not voting,” he said.
