When the Benoni City Times visited Margaret Sathekge’s Mokgoba home on June 25, she had a simple question: Why should she vote when her yard was flooded with sewage from a blocked toilet and years of service-delivery failures had left her disillusioned?

Four months later, Sathekge was among hundreds of Ward 26 residents who queued to cast their votes at Thusanang Crèche and Pre-School on November 4, hoping this time their voices would be heard.

“I want the people we have elected to fight for us. They must understand that we voted for them because we want them to help improve our communities.

“We are in this predicament because of those we voted for previously. We don’t want the ANC. It has hurt us a lot. I’ve been waiting for an RDP house since 2000. I voted for change — nothing else but change,” she said.

Her frustration reflected the mood among many Etwatwa residents, for whom dry taps, crumbling infrastructure, unemployment and corruption have become major election concerns.

In Emaphupheni, the stench of raw sewage filled the air outside Phandimfundo Secondary School voting station in Ward 65 as Josè Zunguene queued to cast his ballot. For him and his neighbours, it is a smell they have become accustomed to.

“We are used to it. I want to see change. As community members, we are tired of living like this. We elect people and they forget about us while enriching themselves and their associates.

“That’s what happened over the past four years here. We watched as our leader improved the lives of those close to him while the rest of the community was ignored. I hope my vote will bring improvements,” he said.

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Sipho Ndima, who has lived in Emaphupheni for 26 years without electricity, said access to basic services remains a priority.

“I voted because I want to see change in South Africa. I have suffered as a citizen, and I want to see conditions improve in my community.

“I don’t have electricity, and we don’t have water. I’m tired of ward councillors who ignore us once we have elected them,” he said.

Not everyone shared the same faith in the ballot.

As Ward 26 residents queued outside Thusanang Crèche and Pre-School, a group of young men in orange and green reflective vests continued with their football training session, seemingly unbothered by the election day excitement.

One of the players, 19-year-old Thomas Chokwe, described voting as a waste of time.

“Vote for what? These politicians care only about wasting money meant to improve our lives,” he said.

First-time voter Khutjo Magongwa (20), however, believes young people can still influence the country’s future through the ballot.

“I hope many young people in the country voted with their heads and not their hearts. We are suffering as young people. Our parents have been voting, but we don’t see any improvements.

“I want to see change in Ward 26. We want service delivery. The days of impunity by the ruling party are over. There are lots of problems in this community, with sewer blockages being the main one. We want change,” she said.

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