WATCH: #2024Elections: Your views on voting

With only a few days to go before South Africans head to the polls, the Boksburg Advertiser asked a few locals if they are going to vote and what the tangible issues are they want their votes to translates into.

While some are looking forward to participating in the democratic process, others said they simply no longer care about voting. Those who have lost their interest and appetite to participate in the elections cited these as some of the reasons: high unemployment rate (32.9 in Quarter 1), poverty, the increasing cost of living, corruption that continues unchecked and a lack of youth representation in upper echelons of government.

Our readers and Caxton Local Media staff members expressed their feelings:

Saloom Serfontein Edwards (Witfield): I’m going to vote because our country needs to change. I would like to see less corruption and more economic growth. We have to think about our children and grandchildren.

Monique Erasmus (Boksburg South): I’m going to vote because I believe citizens deserve more. Water outages and cable theft are problems in my area.

Pertunia Rumo (Daveyton): I’m voting because I want to see more job opportunities and less crime.

Nikita Botha (Boksburg South): I am voting because I want to see change. I want my area to be cleaner and I hope something can be done about cable theft.

Nduna Mashava (Boksburg North): The reason why I don’t want to vote is that I don’t see change. There are no job opportunities. My father is not working and I’m also not working. I Don’t believe that my vote will bring any change.

Collen Khubheka (Elspark): The reason I am not voting is that there has been no change in the system in which we live, and there are no jobs despite our efforts to find one. I can only vote if I have a job. I also do not think my vote will make a difference.

Njabulo Dlamini (Boksburg): I’m definitely going to vote because I want the ANC out of power because they are corrupt.

Ntokozo Nhlapo (Katlehong): I don’t think I will be voting because I don’t think there will be any changes. How many times have we voted and still nothing has changed. It serves no purpose. In my area, almost everything is not working, and the biggest problem is drug-related crime.

Lerato Moreko (Boksburg): I’m going to vote because I want to see change in our country and I want to see a lot of difference compared to what things are right now. In my area, in particular, there is a lot of crime, a lot of corruption and our healthcare facilities are not proper.

Morgan Addison (Benoni): I’m going to vote because I want change. I want a positive future for myself and my family.

Jabulile Mahlangu (Daveyton): I’m definitely going to vote because I’m hoping for change for the youth. I want to see job creation and potholes getting fixed.

Prudence Zanele Mhlanga (Daveyton): I’m definitely going to vote due to the high crime rate. I’m hoping for change.

Taybah Bux (Boksburg): I’m not going to vote because nothing ever gets done. There are potholes galore and street lights are not working. Where will my vote go? I will see what happens in the next five years.

Sophy Mbele (Soweto): I’m going to vote and I would like to see changes in my area. We have had kidnapping cases and we need a safe environment for our children.

Dee Botha (Farrar Park): I’m not going to vote because I believe your vote is your endorsement of a party and that you back them. There is no party that I feel that way about and I’m sure with the coalition government the change we need to see is not going to happen. Potholes and poor road markings are issues in my area. Streetlights are also not working. It’s dangerous. Burglaries are also increasing and it doesn’t seem as though anything is being done about crime.

Luther Matsaluka (Kempton Park): I’m definitely casting my vote because I’m interested in seeing change in my area and I encourage you to vote too if you want to see a change.

Heila Brophy (Benoni): I’m going to vote to get this corrupt government out. In my area I would like to see no potholes, more electricity and regular water.

Elize Kluyts (Plantation): I’m going to vote and I hope that my one vote will make a difference. We have a massive issue with a sinkhole in the area that has an impact on the infrastructure. It will also help if the street lights can be repaired.

Immaculate Modise (Klippoortjie): I cannot wait to vote. All I want is change for job creation within my area and the potholes must be repaired.

Hulisani Ramavhoya (Boksburg North): I’m going to vote. The changes I want to see in my area are better service delivery in terms of fixing the street lights, grass cutting and litter picking.

Charlene Levatt (Beyers Park): I definitely want to vote because I want to see potholes getting repaired and a cleaner city.

Also Read: #Elections2024: Why my vote counts!