Meet the man named Vote

When Vote Ubisi was born on April 27 1994 his parents felt overwhelmed by South Africans who were excited about going to the polls for the first time, so they named him according to the popular word of that day.

On Wednesday, 30 years later, Vote cast his second vote in Lillydale village in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, after he finished his night shift at a hotel in Hoetspruit. The taxi ride took him over an hour to reach Mhlahle Primary School where he cast his vote. 

For years he could not understand why his parents, Mozambican migrants, named him Vote. Even his peers teased him about his rather unique name.

“At first I didn’t know why I was named Vote.  My peers at primary school used to laugh at my name even calling me ‘election’, but when I asked my mother she told me that they picked my name after I was born on the day of the first elections where all South Africans black and white voted in 1994. I was so happy.  I’m now voting for the second time in my life,” said Vote 

He said though life is tough in SA he could not miss the opportunity to vote.

“Me voting today is my way to say I embrace democracy and my birthday. I can’t say which political party I voted for, but I’m happy I did vote. Political parties make empty promises towards elections but after winning they don’t fulfil the promises they made, hence I voted carefully,” said Vote.

 His mother, Miriana Chabalala-Ubisi, a traditional healer, escaped the war in Mozambique in the 1960s and she and her husband settled in Mpumalanga.

She told Sowetan that during her labour in 1994, a radio station was playing in their one-roomed house. 

“While I was in labour delivering, a radio kept shouting, ‘vote, vote’, as it was elections day. After I delivered I was asked his name but his father said the child’s name would be Vote. That’s how he was named. I will never forget that day,” said Chabalala-Ubisi. 

Vote said he believed his vote would help change the livelihood of the Lillydale community especially young people for the better. 

“Here we don't have water and roads are bad. Most young people do not work and that breeds crime and drugs. I believe my vote will make those who are going to lead us deliver the needs of the people, especially the youth,” said Vote.