By Akani Nkuna
Young voters turned out at several polling stations across the City of Tshwane’s central business district on Wednesday, braving the heat to cast their ballots in the local government elections, with some expressing mixed views on service delivery and the municipality’s overall performance.
Keabetswe Mahlangu, 22, who voted at the AFM Sunnyside Church polling station, told Inside Metros that persistent challenges and a lack of improvement in service delivery were among her main motivations for voting.
Mahlangu, who was voting for the first time, expressed mixed feelings about service delivery in Tshwane, saying there was room for improvement.
She said she wanted the incoming municipal leadership to prioritise crime prevention and public safety in Sunnyside, where she believes crime has become increasingly prevalent.
“It is not the best but also not the worst. I think it can be better. Much better. I would to believe that my vote will make a huge difference and I hope that everyone voted for the party that I believe in,” she said.
Another voter, Tlangelani Mashimbyi, 29, who cast his ballot at the St Martin de Porres polling station in Sunnyside, expressed dissatisfaction with service delivery in the city.
Mashimbyi said he was uncertain whether the current municipal leadership had faced sabotage but emphasised that officials needed to do more to improve services.
He also called for clear and timely communication from city officials during water shortages and electricity disruptions, saying advance warnings would help residents prepare for and manage the inconvenience.
“I would appreciate if the elected party or the winning party, if they can tell us if there will be shortages of water [and] communicate everything on time [to enable us to deal] with the inconveniences,” Mashimbyi said.
INSIDE METROS
