Though turnout was low, some voters’ spirits were moderately high for local elections

Many political minds and various parties have attributed the low voter turnout on November 1 at the 2021 local government elections to voter apathy.

Chantelle Fourie-Shawe, DA Ward 86 candidate, thinks this was the case within not only our small communities but across the nation. “One of our biggest problems is that there were not enough people voting,” she said, adding it was also very concerning that not many young people voted.

One resident, a foreign national who couldn’t vote but accompanied his wife, said if he had been afforded the opportunity to vote, he would have done so for a party that promises the security of its residents.

“We want to live in a community that is safe, we don’t want to have to keep fortifying our homes and investing even more into our security. We also want working street lights, lack of such services have trickle-down effects – if you don’t feel safe, you won’t have your children play in the park and if they aren’t playing in these parks, it leaves room for bad traits to develop within the community, ” he said.

Yet, it would seem that even those who could and did vote, did so with a pinch of salt. Some voters, like the Draxls, a couple that voted at Berario Recreational Centre. They said they voted for the party that, in their opinion, displays the least amount of ‘dodginess’. Though they also felt that their neighbourhood is relatively well kept and have they don’t have too much to complain about.

Fellow voter, Johan Engelbrecht feared that like many of the times he had previously voted, once his vote is cast, service delivery issues within his community he hoped would change, would remain the same thereafter. He hoped his Ward 117 councillor would live up to promises made – if not for him, for future generations. “There is too much unemployment and no new jobs being created and this is concerning.”