Voters at a voting station in SNS Mamelodi on Monday expressed confidence in the African National Congress (ANC), citing improvements in local infrastructure while calling for further progress in water and electricity supply, employment and opportunities for young people.
Four voters interviewed by Africa Daily shared their reasons for voting, with some highlighting the party’s past performance and their confidence in its leadership, while others raised concerns about the challenges facing their communities.
Doris Gumbi said she was supporting the ANC because she had seen improvements in her community, particularly road repairs and the installation of streetlights.
“They’ve created jobs for children, fixed potholes, there are streetlights,” Gumbi said.
She said these developments had influenced her decision, adding that the improvements gave her reason to believe that further progress was possible under the party’s leadership.
Bernard Pohu also expressed support for the ANC, pointing to its social assistance programmes and their role in supporting vulnerable people.
“The ANC gives the elderly grants, and the ANC gave people RDPs,” Pohu said.
His comments highlighted the importance some voters place on social grants and access to housing when assessing the party’s record.
However, James Mathosi raised concerns about the future of young people, particularly unemployment and substance abuse.
“Where is the future of our kids?” he asked.
While acknowledging the importance of voting, Mathosi questioned what lay ahead for children growing up in communities where unemployment and drug use remained concerns.
His remarks highlighted the need for local leadership to address the social and economic challenges affecting young people.
Terrence Mosa said he intended to support the ANC’s mayoral candidate, expressing confidence in the current councillor’s performance despite ongoing service delivery challenges.
“The pipes are burst and we lack water,” Mosa said.
Despite these concerns, he maintained that the current ANC councillor was doing a good job, suggesting that his confidence in the councillor’s leadership remained an important factor in his voting decision.
The four voters’ comments reflected a mix of confidence in the ANC’s record and expectations for further improvements. While road repairs, streetlights, housing and social grants featured among the reasons for supporting the party, concerns about water shortages, unemployment and the future of young people remained evident.
As voters cast their ballots in the local government elections, their views highlighted how residents weigh their experiences of service delivery against their expectations for the future when deciding who should represent their communities.