As political parties ramp up campaigns ahead of Wednesday’s local government elections, voters in different parts of Hammanskraal, where service delivery has collapsed, are weighing basic service failures, jobs and long-held political loyalties as they decide who to trust with their vote.
Conversations on the ground reveal a familiar mix: frustration over service delivery, anxiety about unemployment, and enduring loyalty to established movements.
For Joel Tsipa, the question is whether parties care about communities beyond election season. He pointed to illegal dumping and chronic water cuts as daily realities.
He also questioned the deployment of water tankers, saying residents still struggle to access clean water despite councillors having vehicles meant to help.
“The gap between what is promised during campaigns and what people live through every day is still too wide,” is how many residents sum it up.
Joseph Sithole echoed the water concerns.
“There is no water, the water here is dirty,” he said.
For Sithole, the issue is not just supply, but safety — a direct municipal responsibility that voters say will influence how they vote.
For others, the priority is work. Phumudzo Nemuramgoni said job creation would determine his choice.
Employment remains a decisive factor, particularly for young people trying to support their families.
Yet dissatisfaction does not always mean voters will switch sides.
Paul Hoseka believes voting can still make a difference and says he will vote for the ANC.
Asked if he would consider another party, he was firm: “It’s a movement I understand so much.”
His stance reflects how familiarity and historical identification continue to shape the ballot, even where frustration over services persists.
Itumeleng Madisha offered a different political lens, speaking to the SACP’s decision to contest local government elections on its own, after years of campaigning under the ANC banner.
He said the SACP had backed the ANC because of its commitment to the National Democratic Revolution as a path toward transforming society.
He added that he was frustrated by what he sees as a shift in the ANC’s political and economic direction.
“It is a very frustrating situation in South Africa,” Madisha said.
His comments point to the growing tension between the two alliance partners as the SACP tests its independent electoral strength.
Together, the voices point to the issues parties must answer before November 4: reliable water, jobs, and whether promises made on the campaign trail will translate into real change in people’s lives.