By nine o'clock every station was open.

I regret it very much that this has come to us so late and I also regret it in the sense that it's a law in South Africa and we don't always change laws overnight in that manner. The special votes are not only affecting them - they're affecting other sectors in society.

We heard that some people decided to play football [next to one voting station]. We are grateful that people resorted to entertaining themselves rather than committing violence.

We celebrate that, considering the agitation from the population.

If the good Lord could stop the rain just for tomorrow, but only for tomorrow, it would be good. But we need rain otherwise because it's a good omen for our country.

It is encouraging to note the overwhelming interest by South Africans in voting even after six successive elections.