Voters hope for change as elections get underway

Despite frustrations over poor service delivery, voters in parts of northern Durban turned out in their numbers to cast their votes in the 2026 Local Government Elections on Wednesday, driven by hopes for change and improved services in their communities.

For 50-year-old Hlengiwe Ndimande from Congo in Inanda, the decision to vote came only this morning. Until she went to bed on Tuesday night, she had been certain she would not vote because of her disappointment with the lack of service delivery in her area.

However, she changed her mind, waking up at her usual workday time to ensure she was among the first voters in the queue. She arrived at her voting station at 5:40am.

“I changed my mind about not voting because I realised that most people do not vote because they are angry about the lack of service delivery. People are tired; we do not have water and electricity. Today, I told myself I am voting for change,” Ndimande told SAnews.gov.za

She said she felt at peace after casting her vote, knowing she has done her part in the democratic process.

Ndimande also commended the smooth running of the voting process, saying the assistance provided by Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) officials made it easy for her to cast her vote and return home to attend to her household chores.

“The process is very smooth. The IEC officials are doing a great job assisting voters and ensuring that their experience is hassle-free,” she said.

Also speaking to SAnews.gov.za after casting her vote, Zandile Nyuswa (58), who voted at Hazelmeer near Verulam, north of Durban, said the decision was driven by the hope that things would eventually change despite ongoing service delivery challenges.

“To be honest, I do not know why I voted because we do not have water and electricity, and our cars are damaged by potholes on our roads. However, not voting was not an option because if I do not vote, things will stay the same,” Nyuswa said.

Nomusa Nhlengethwa (81) from Ntuzuma, north of Durban, who has voted in every election since South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994, said she continues to vote because she wants leaders to build on the service delivery gains made in her community.

Although she acknowledged that water challenges persisted, Nhlengethwa said she was satisfied with the progress made in her area and wants elected leaders to continue delivering services.

“I have seen a lot of changes in our area, even though we still have some water challenges. I am still happy with service delivery; hence I voted again today for our leaders to be able to continue bringing services to us,” she told SAnews.gov.za.

As voting continues across the country today, the voters’ experiences reflect the different motivations behind participation in local government elections, from frustration over inadequate services to satisfaction with progress made, and the hope for further improvements.

The elections provide eligible voters with an opportunity to choose the municipal leaders who will be responsible for local service delivery and development in their communities.

Voting started at 7am and will close at 9pm. – SAnews.gov.za

 

Source: Original report at SAnews.gov.za.