Poor services and crime fuel voter frustration ahead of South Africa’s polls

South Africans head to the polls next week with basic services, crime and unemployment among the key issues shaping the local elections. In townships around Cape Town, residents say they are struggling with poor sanitation and a lack of police protection. Voters are also complaining about frequent water cuts, with some questioning whether elections can bring meaningful change. I was going to bath for work. I went to the toilet and I saw young guys coming towards me. Excuse me. They then disappeared. I went into the toilet and locked the door. Thank They shook the door. I started screaming for help. Another guy came and they ran away. you The ANC lost its national parliamentary majority in 2024 after falling below 50% in local elections three years earlier. very The Democratic Alliance is campaigning on the failure of ANC-led councils, much. while former President Jacob Zuma's MK Party is also seeking to expand its influence. If the police leave now, we have to get out of the streets because they will be shooting. We are afraid it's not nice. In the informal settlement, things happen all over. It's not nice. We are suffering under these circumstances, considering people can't even go to work. They get shot. Thank The November 4 polls promises a glimpse into whether frustrations with local government failures are changing political loyalties, you including for the once long-dominant African National Congress, also known as ANC, very ahead of the 2029 general election. Compare it to, you know, to Tembisa or compare it to Alexandra and tell me if the people much. of Khayelitsha are not living a better life. We're not saying that it is a perfect life, but it is something that we're working on. and this needs to then, you know, be managed a whole lot better Only 46% of registered voters took part in the 2021 local elections. The results expected from Sunday could reinforce South Africa's shift towards coalition government and test whether those coalitions can deliver more stable and effective local administrations.