Residents in major townships in Emfuleni local municipality say they have cast their vote to bring about change that could see them receive better services and job creation.
On Monday, residents in Bophelong, Sharpeville and Sebokeng returned to the polls to cast their votes expressing hope that things would change for the better.
Daddy Moreboli, who lives in Vanderbijlpark, said he moved into the suburb six years ago to fulfil his childhood dream. But with service delivery at an all-time low in the municipality, he now wants to move out of the suburb.
“You cannot invest in a place that has no movement, no progress or anything. The place is worse... We cannot be doing the same thing over and over [and expecting different results]. At some point we have to move,” Moreboli said.
“It has been a long time since the days of apartheid and there is little progress in our community. People are still jobless... We need change...You cannot be telling me that you are going to take almost 30 years promising to fix one thing but not doing it. Then there must be something very wrong with you.”
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The municipality has collapsed under ANC rule. The past five years have seen unprecedented levels of deterioration in service delivery, which forced the provincial government to place the council under administration. Despite administrators making some inroads in stabilising the finances of the municipality, problems such as uncollected refuse, power outages and sewage spills are still a common feature of the area.
Nokufa Tsotetsi, 55, of Sebokeng Zone 17, who made her mark at Moshate Secondary School, echoed the call for change.
“I want to see refuse being collected on time. I want to see an end to the sewage that is running on the streets. I also want the person that I voted for not to have favouritism. He must not just give job opportunities to the people on his street but to all the residents that are in the ward. Our children are not working. When there are projects, let all people get fair opportunities for work,” Tsotetsi said.
Keneiloe Morake, 41, of Sharpeville, said despite the challenges that the municipality has faced, she still believed the ANC should lead the council.
“I do want to see change in Sharpeville but I do believe that the ANC should govern. I have hope in the ANC. I feel that some of our youth are impatient. They want things to happen immediately. I also want change but I understand that things take time,” Morake said.
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