A Pietermaritzburg voter, Ntombi Kofane, said she wants newly elected leaders to clean up communities and enforce municipal bylaws. She spoke to SAnews as South Africans voted in the 2026 Local Government Elections on Wednesday.
Kofane said she was worried about litter and dirt across Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal. She said people were abusing their freedoms and rights.
“As a South African citizen, I will be voting because I still have hope in the future of our country. We need wise leaders who will work to restore dignity in our communities and ensure that municipal by-laws are enforced,” Kofane said.
“We need leaders who will ensure that our communities are clean. This may seem like a minor issue, but over time, failing to keep our communities clean destroys our cities and neighbourhoods,” she said.
Kofane also raised concern about underage drinking. She said young people under the age of 18 were often found in taverns, where they could face danger.
She said the law that bans underage drinking in taverns was not being enforced. According to Kofane, most patrons at these places were young people.
“However, law enforcement agencies are not taking sufficient action against establishments that allow underage people to drink,” she said.
She said matric learners would soon go to so-called “pens down” parties as their exams come to an end. She warned that this could put their lives at risk because of a lack of respect for the law.
Kofane also linked littering to climate change. She said many people did not see littering or neglect of the environment as a problem.
“We need stricter law enforcement, cleaner cities and more dignified communities. I will be voting for a leader who will put the well-being of communities first,” she said.
Another Pietermaritzburg voter, Nondumiso Nzuza, said she would vote for a party that would bring positive change to her community. She said it should also create chances for young people to do well economically.
Nzuza called for job creation programmes for young people. She said there were many unemployed graduates who needed more opportunities to improve their future.
According to SAnews, South Africans voted on Wednesday to elect representatives to municipal councils. The Electoral Commission (IEC) recorded 29.2 million registered voters, with 23 696 voting stations across the country.
Elected councillors will be responsible for delivering services and improving communities. They will also pass bylaws and oversee how they are carried out.
Voting stations opened at 7am and were set to close at 9pm. Voters inside the boundaries of a voting station at closing time will still be helped.
President Cyril Ramaphosa declared Election Day a public holiday so that voters could take part in the elections.
Source: this article is based on reporting by SAnews.gov.za. Image: GCIS via SAnews.gov.za. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice News desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Kgomotso Maake covers news and politics for Tzaneen Voice. Kgomotso reports on government, Parliament, municipalities, courts, crime and service delivery across South Africa, with a close eye on how national decisions reach towns like Tzaneen and the wider Limpopo province. Stories are written in plain English and focus on the facts: who made the decision, what it means, and what happens next.