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Johannesburg - As South Africa's fifth general elections ended on Wednesday night, young South Africans voted for a better, brighter future.
Qinisela Hlongwa, 26, said youth unemployment needed to be dealt with.
"Finding employment is the biggest challenge, even those that are employed complain that most companies do not want to give them permanent posts."
He cast his ballot in Roodepoort, on the West Rand. It was his second time voting.
"I didn't really know who to vote for because during the last elections I voted for the ANC and I haven't been impressed with what they have achieved in the last five years, or should I say what they haven't achieved.
"And the other parties did not interest me much because most of them just complain about the ruling party and give no solutions."
The Bachelor of Commerce accounting graduate said he believed in change and in the Democratic Alliance's Gauteng premier candidate Mmusi Maimane, who also happens to be a preacher at Hlongwa's church in Discovery, Roodepoort.
"I think change is growth and I personally believe in him... I think they could do a better job than the ANC."
Both Maimane and Hlongwa were born and raised in the Dobsonville, Soweto.
In Radiokop, also in Roodepoort, Mapula Mojapelo, 25, said young South Africans were voting for what was in their best interest and not emotionally, like the older generation.
"The older generation votes with anger. They don't look at what is happening in our country. The younger generation is fair and they vote for the party that they believe has its best interests at heart."
Mojapelo was voting for the second time.
In Braamfontein, Sinethemba Memela, 22, from Bizana in the Eastern Cape, was one of thousands of University of the Witwatersrand students who voted for the first time.
"Democracy means that you need to have a say in who is representing you. I voted because I feel the ruling party is very arrogant, and does not listen to its people."
The third-year law student said it was unfair that in post-apartheid South Africa, blacks were still living in townships and paying rent in suburbs while whites owned houses and land.
"The ruling party doesn't focus enough on land redistribution. All we have is a bill. They are not serious enough about this."
