Water, power and potholes: Durban voters turn out hoping this time is different

Voters in parts of northern Durban turned out in numbers on Wednesday to cast their ballots in the 2026 Local Government Elections, with many saying they were driven by frustration over services and a hope that voting would change them.

Hlengiwe Ndimande, 50, from Congo in Inanda, had gone to bed on Tuesday night certain she would not vote. She woke at her usual workday time instead and was at her voting station by 5:40am.

“I changed my mind about not voting because I realised that most people do not vote because they are angry about the lack of service delivery. People are tired. We do not have water and electricity. Today, I told myself I am voting for change,” Ndimande told SAnews.gov.za.

She said she felt at peace after casting her vote and praised the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) officials at her station. “The process is very smooth. The IEC officials are doing a great job assisting voters and ensuring that their experience is hassle-free.”

At Hazelmeer near Verulam, north of Durban, Zandile Nyuswa, 58, said her decision rested on the hope that things would eventually change despite the service delivery challenges she lives with.

“To be honest, I do not know why I voted because we do not have water and electricity, and our cars are damaged by potholes on our roads. However, not voting was not an option because if I do not vote, things will stay the same,” Nyuswa said.

Not every voter was voting against the record. Nomusa Nhlengethwa, 81, from Ntuzuma, north of Durban, has voted in every election since 1994 and said she wanted leaders to build on what her community already has.

“I have seen a lot of changes in our area, even though we still have some water challenges. I am still happy with service delivery. Hence I voted again today for our leaders to be able to continue bringing services to us,” she told SAnews.gov.za.

Voting opened at 7am and closes at 9pm. The elections decide the municipal leaders responsible for local service delivery and development in their communities.

This report is drawn from SAnews (South African Government News Agency), the government’s own news agency, at https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/voters-hope-change-elections-get-underway. It is an account of voters’ experiences on polling day rather than the Electoral Commission’s own record of the vote.