By Rosina Shiko
Voters in Alexandra braved long queues and afternoon rain on Wednesday as they turned out to cast their ballots in the 2026 Local Government Elections, determined to have their say despite the weather.
Rain fell across the township in the afternoon, but voters remained in queues, refusing to abandon their wait to vote.
The determination was evident from early morning. At Kwa-Bhekilanga Secondary School in Ward 105, more than 360 voters had cast their ballots by 10:00.
At 3 Square Sports Centre in Ward 76, 523 people had voted between 07:00 and 13:00.
The process was not without challenges. At Skeen Primary School in Ward 105, ballot papers ran out during the morning, leaving more than 100 people waiting in the queue.
Voters who spoke to Inside Metros said they were motivated by the prospect of political change and hoped the incoming council would address Alexandra’s persistent service delivery problems.
Shogele Madimana, 56, said she wanted a new administration to tackle electricity problems and irregular refuse collection.
“I am voting for change. I want the new council to address electricity and refuse that is not collected in Alexandra,” she said.
Patrick Mabunda, who voted at Altrec Sports Ground in Ward 109, said he wanted to see tangible improvements in the township.
“I am voting because I want to see differences in Alexandra. For the longest time, we were not given the opportunity to vote,” he said.
Mabunda said he hoped the incoming council would put residents’ needs ahead of political interests.
“I hope the new council will work for the community and not for themselves. Trash is not collected because Pikitup is always on strike, and I hope electricity is prioritised,” he said.
Monalanga Nhlanzi, from Ward 81, which has 22,517 registered voters, said she had come out to vote because residents needed to take responsibility for bringing about change.
“I am here to vote because without us acting, nothing will happen. I want to vote ANC out. Without us acting now, we will never see the change,” she said.
She urged young people to participate in the elections and vote against the current governing party.
“I urge the youth to also vote out the current leading council and the current leading party, the ANC,” she said.
Asked why she was prepared to stand in the rain to cast her ballot, Nhlanzi described the election as a defining moment for the country.
“This is a do-or-die situation. It is time we finally act as South Africans. If we do not act now, we have literally lost South Africa,” she said.
INSIDE METROS
