With less than a month to go before Boksburg residents head to the voting stations to cast their votes in the 2026 Local Elections, ward councillor candidates were invited to share their visions for their wards.

As part of the Boksburg Advertiser’s commitment to voter education ahead of the November 4 elections, the publication invited all political party candidates to share their views in 150 words or less via its social media platforms.

The publication included only submissions received by noon on October 1 and published them in numerical order by ward demarcations.

Yusef Ebrahim, Movement for Social Justice (MSJ), Ward 22

My decision to stand for election was not driven by a desire to become a career politician, but by something far simpler—frustration as a resident.

I drive on the same roads, experience the same service delivery problems and share the same frustrations as other residents.

At some point, complaining from the sidelines is no longer enough. If I want better representation for my community, I must be prepared to stand up and act.

My campaign is not about making promises that a ward councillor cannot realistically guarantee.

We cannot personally fix every pothole, repair every streetlight or solve every municipal problem. Still, residents have the right to expect their representative to be accessible, to raise their concerns, to follow up relentlessly, to communicate honestly and to fight for their ward.

I want to offer Ward 22 an alternative, built around active community participation rather than traditional party politics.

Madelaine Muller, Democratic Alliance (DA), Ward 22

For the past five years, Ward 22 has been more than just the area I represent – it has been a daily commitment.

Every day, I work alongside residents to tackle service delivery failures, infrastructure challenges and community concerns.

My vision is simple: to create a ward where residents can depend on reliable services, drive on safe roads, live in clean neighbourhoods and feel confident that their concerns are being heard.

I want this to be a place where families can thrive, businesses can grow, and communities can take pride in their surroundings.

I believe local government works best when councillors remain accessible, visible and accountable.

That is the approach I have always taken, and I will continue to.

My commitment is to keep fighting for our ward and to be a strong voice for every resident who calls it home.

Kathleen Matthews, Democratic Alliance (DA), Ward 23

Ward 23 is a very diverse ward, made up of three Client Care Centres (CCC), namely Benoni, Boksburg and Kempton Park.

Suburbs include Atlasville, Brentwood Park AH, Bonaero Park, Caro Nome AH, Goedeburg, Parkhaven and Pomona.

My vision for the ward is to be available to all residents, listen to their concerns and identify the most urgent needs in each area.

I will fight for basic services, infrastructure maintenance and upgrades, safer streets and open spaces.

I will communicate transparently and get involved in community upliftment projects.

I am honoured to be selected to represent this ward and promise to do so to the best of my abilities.

I look forward to working with residents to make our ward a safer, better place to live!

Alida Jordaan, Democratic Alliance (DA), Ward 31

I have stepped forward because our residents deserve a responsible local government that uses public money wisely and delivers the services we pay for. I will remind them of that.

I care deeply about the people of Ward 31.

This is our home, these are our neighbourhoods, our streets, our families, and we deserve to feel safe, cared for and proud of where we live.

We all remember the Ekurhuleni we once knew and loved, a city that worked.

Sadly, years of poor management have taken its toll, and our residents are carrying the burden of failed governance.

Keanen de Jager, People’s Movement for Change (PMC), Ward 32

As the PMC candidate for Ward 32, my focus is delivering decisive, visible results across our suburbs, CBD and informal settlements.

My pledge is active leadership.

I will run a weekly Mobile Councillor’s Office to handle ground-level issues directly, demand immediate repairs to potholes and streetlights, fix municipal billing errors, and stop illegal dumping to clean up our parks.

To uplift our community, I will prioritise care and rebate support for seniors, establish rehabilitation partnerships for people experiencing homelessness and fight for a transparent, audited waiting list for Leeuwpoort housing.

I will also partner with local business owners across Boksburg’s industrial hubs to open job and skills pipelines for our youth and cut red tape for local businesses.

Ward 32 deserves an accessible councillor who works directly for you. Together, we can build a safer, fairer, and better Ekurhuleni.

Marius de Vos, Democratic Alliance (DA), Ward 31 and 32

My approach is straightforward: represent residents, raise their concerns, monitor progress, and keep them informed.

I want Ward 31 to be a community where residents take pride in where they live and where local government is held accountable for delivering the services residents pay for.

My vision for Ward 32 remains the same: creating a safe, clean, well-maintained and thriving community where basic services work.

I know our communities, I know our challenges, and I know what needs to be done.

I will focus on reliable electricity, clean water, well-maintained roads and tamper-resistant traffic and street light infrastructure.

Safer neighbourhoods where municipal by-laws are effectively enforced, as well as economic development that attracts investment and creates job opportunities.

Above all, I will remain visible, accessible and accountable, working alongside residents to find workable solutions.

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