A large number of journalists were waiting for the arrival of President Kgalema Motlanthe at the Colbyn voting station in Pretoria on Wednesday morning.

A short queue of voters had already started to form.

It was at Colbyn ? just kilometres from the union buildings ? that Motlanthe will cast his first vote as president of the country.

The Colbyn voting station appeared to be ready to play its part in South Africa's fourth democratic election.