Years of sewage spillages, pothole-riddled roads and illegal dumping have left residents of Sebokeng frustrated with the Emfuleni Local Municipality.
On Wednesday, voters in wards 31, 37, and 38 headed to the polls with one demand: an end to the service delivery failures that have plagued their communities for years.
For many, the local government elections were an opportunity to hold municipal leaders accountable, with residents saying they were tired of living with the same problems despite repeated promises of improvement.
Among them was Ward 31 resident Johannes Komako, who said the condition of the roads and persistent sewage spillages had become unbearable.
“We cannot continue living with sewage in our streets while our roads are falling apart. We have been complaining about these things for years, but nothing seems to change. We are voting because we want people who will take our problems seriously,” Komako said.
He said residents had grown frustrated with the lack of lasting solutions to problems affecting their daily lives.
Simon Motsei raised concerns about illegal dumping sites, accusing the municipality of failing to keep public spaces clean.
“Everywhere you go, there is rubbish. People are dumping because these places are not being cleaned. The municipality knows about this problem, but we are not seeing anything being done. We cannot continue living like this,” Motsei said.
He said the incoming municipal leadership needed to prioritise waste collection and the removal of illegal dumping sites.
Malefetsane Ratsefe was among those who arrived early to cast their ballots, reaching his voting station at around 6.30am.
He said there were only a few people waiting when he arrived.
“I came early because I wanted to vote and finish. There were not many people when I arrived. I want to see change. We cannot keep voting and still face the same problems every day,” Ratsefe said.
Ward 31 Councillor Sibongile Naapo, meanwhile, pointed to improvements made during her term, including the restoration of streetlights that had reportedly been out of operation for more than 20 years.
“When I came in, there were streetlights that had not been working for over 20 years. We managed to get them fixed. We have also been working on sewage spillages and other service delivery problems. There is still work to be done, but changes have been made,” Naapo said.
The councillor said efforts to address sewage problems and improve conditions in the ward were continuing.
For voters in Sebokeng, Wednesday's election was an opportunity to demand better services and a municipality that responds to their concerns.
After years of complaints, residents are hoping their votes will bring improvements they can see in their streets and neighbourhoods.