A Cape Town loan shark from Nyanga township accompanied a voter to the voting station to prevent her from running away with her ID.
A Scrolla.Africa journalist was standing outside the Oscar Mpetha voting station when two women arrived.
One took out an ID, gave it to the other, and waited outside the voting station. When the voter emerged, she handed the ID back to the woman waiting outside.
Scrolla.Africa asked what was happening.
The loan shark responded first by saying, “This woman borrowed money from me three months ago. She has been telling stories every time I ask for my money. I decided to take her ID so that she pays back my money.”
She accompanied her client to the voting station and waited to take back the ID as soon as the client had finished voting.
“Taking her ID was the only option I had. Accompanying her to the voting station shows that I care – I didn’t want her to miss this year’s elections. But I will keep the ID until she pays back the money.”
She said she knows that it is wrong to keep someone’s ID.
“I heard other people saying it is wrong because our businesses are not registered, but when our clients come to ask for money we tell them how we operate and they agree. We have never forced anyone.”
The woman who was accompanied laughed and said, “I never thought it would come to this. Now I am like a little girl. It is embarrassing but there is nothing that I can do about it, I owe her money.”
She is happy that her lender didn’t stop her from voting.
“There are people who didn’t vote because their loan sharks refused to give back their IDs. I am lucky that she accompanied me and I am glad I voted.”
Pictured above: A resident voting at Oscar Mpetha in Nyanga township was accompanied by a loan shark to prevent her from running away with her ID.
Image Credit: Buziwe Nocuze
