PLETTENBERG BAY ELECTION NEWS - The 2019 national and provincial elections got off to rocky start in Plettenberg Bay when protests were interwoven into the fabric of the elections reports Yolande Stander.

During the course of Tuesday night and Wednesday morning a large group of protests gathered on the N2 near the town's foot bridge, blocking the road with burning tyres and other objects. The action is believed to have been part of an election "stay away" effort by residents of Qolweni. By the time of going to print protesters had not yet made their demands clear.

Municipal spokesman Manfred van Rooyen confirmed that the action did not affect the opening of the voting stations, which all opened at 07:00.

Among the high profile voters who made their mark in Bitou were Western Cape MEC for transport and public works Donald Grant.

In Knysna's Northern areas things were more placid and got off to a slow start reports Nwabisa Pondoyi.

In what appeared to be a last minute visit, Western Cape premier Helen Zille, appeared at Chris Nissen Primary School in White Location to cast her vote. A confident looking Zille told the Knysna-Plett Herald that she felt encouraged by the results of the by-elections earlier this year and that the DA stands a good chance to win the elections. "I love being here in Knysna," Zille said.

The deputy police minister Bongani Mkongi who was scheduled to appear at the Concordia High School, had a change of plans and made his mark elsewhere.

In central Knysna the majority of voters gathered at the local town hall reports Blake Linder. Voters at Oakhill School and the town hall had cover from the rain when it swept through Knysna during the course of the morning.

The only problems experienced were delays due to voters, from outside the town hall feeding area, arriving at the voting station.

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