Germiston voters demand better service delivery and accountable leadership

Germiston residents voiced their frustrations on voting day, saying declining service delivery continues to take its toll on communities across the city.

While voters turned out in strong numbers, many expressed deep dissatisfaction with local governance.

For many, casting a vote was seen as an important step towards securing meaningful change in leadership, municipal services and social conditions.

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Among those seeking change was 29-year-old Zinhle Ntshangase, who contested Ward 93 as a councillor candidate for the Afrika Mayibuye Movement (AMM), making her the youngest female candidate in her ward during these local elections.

Ntshangase said party policy required all candidates to live in the wards they contested.

“This ensures we don’t end up with councillors who don’t even live in the area,” Ntshangase said.

“If elected, a councillor must serve their term as a resident. Councillors must be accessible and experience the exact same frustrations residents feel on the ground. When waste isn’t collected, we should all suffer the consequences together.”

Ntshangase’s political background dates back to her tertiary education, where she served as the South African Students Congress (SASCO) general secretary across four campuses at Mthashana TVET College.

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After a brief break from politics, she was recruited by the Afrika Mayibuye Movement, serving as a ground force recruiter and later as the Gauteng youth secretary before being selected to contest the ward.

She stressed that her commitment to the community would continue regardless of the election outcome.

“Whether or not I become a councillor, my fight will not end until I see real change,” she said, citing widespread service delivery failures and a lack of opportunities for young people as her primary concerns.

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She also highlighted the growing substance abuse crisis among local youth.

“This could be curbed if we had functional rehabilitation facilities and employment opportunities for young people to build a future,” Ntshangase said.

“Many young people are fighting to survive daily, with some turning to crime out of desperation. We need to reclaim our communities and rehabilitate our sports grounds so youth can engage in sports, arts and culture. The talent on our streets lacks the sponsorship needed to succeed.”

Healthcare and the safety of vulnerable residents are also major concerns.

“The elderly must walk long distances to access health services in Tedstoneville, often crossing dangerous paths where they face muggings,” she explained.

“We also lack basic recreational facilities and community halls.”

In informal settlements such as Makause and Marathon, living conditions remain dire.

“Safety, health and a basic water supply in informal settlements are critical issues. Bucket toilets pose serious health and hygiene risks for women and girls,” she warned.

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“At the same time, illegal mining activities continue to undermine safety, while illegal dumping has turned nearly every street corner into a hotspot because waste is not collected. Even today, on election day, uncollected waste remains on our streets.”

Ntshangase called on younger generations to step into political leadership roles.

“It is time for young people to take positions of leadership and political power to voice our concerns in Parliament,” she said.

“We must build a credible legacy. Right now, we have to ask what kind of legacy our current leaders are leaving behind and what future we can build when people cannot find work or run sustainable businesses.

“We need a consistent power supply. Recently, our ward suffered a three-week outage due to a faulty transformer. Our roads are damaged, and without proper speed humps, residents have had to resort to makeshift measures that pose additional hazards,” said Ntshangase.

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Another Germiston resident, Banele Mohau from Extension 9, shared her grievances, saying that despite voting for years, residents had seen little change in their community.

She alleged that although Extension 9 is home to several major businesses, these companies frequently hire people from outside the area.

“This leaves our local youth unemployed,” Mohau said.

“As a result, we see a mushrooming of taverns in our neighbourhood because selling alcohol becomes the only lucrative option.”

“On weekends, we get intermittent water supplies; we have to collect water from far away. We also lack facilities for our seniors and children. We want a community centre that can cater for children with aftercare programmes.”

Meanwhile, Andile Magubeni from Pirowville expressed frustration with the municipality’s performance compared with that of neighbouring areas.

“I’m not even motivated by how things are managed here; I look at the Midvaal Local Municipality as an example,” Magubeni said.

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“Ekurhuleni grew up as a major manufacturing hub, but we have watched numerous businesses leave the area. We call for a government that will repair and maintain essential infrastructure, like roads and electricity, so businesses can thrive and our property values can grow.

“Right now, our streetlights don’t work, local parks are filthy, and public drinking has become a serious concern.”

Johannes Moshe from Delville echoed these calls for accountability, emphasising the need for transparent leadership and integrity.
“We need the youth to be empowered and active,” Moshe said. “Today we are making our mark because we are tired of politicians whom we voted into power repeatedly failing us.”

Re-elected Ward 35 councillor outlines new term priorities

Re-elected Ward 35 councillor Ntuthuzelo Mpambani expressed confidence on election day that his record would secure him another term, remaining resolute in the face of political opposition.

Following his re-election, the African National Congress (ANC) candidate thanked the ward’s residents and acknowledged the political parties that had contested the seat.

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“Let me take this opportunity to thank the residents of Ward 35 for entrusting us once again with this responsibility,” Mpambani said.

“This is a duty we do not take lightly, and we will be at your service. Election outcomes must not make us enemies but partners working together to develop our ward.”

Mpambani also praised rival candidates for maintaining political maturity throughout the voting process.

“Thank you to all the candidates who contested these elections,” he said. “Your political maturity helped ensure the process was free and fair. You pushed us to the limit, but don’t disappear – we share the common goal of serving the community. Let us join hands and work together.”

Reflecting on his selection as the ANC’s ward candidate through the party’s internal processes, Mpambani said voters had validated that decision at the polls.

Looking ahead to his new term, he highlighted several infrastructure and service delivery projects planned for Ward 35.
• Dukathole Taxi Rank: Construction of the upgraded transport facility is scheduled to begin on November 25.
• Streetlight repairs: Contractors are ready on site to repair broken streetlights. Mpambani urged residents to protect municipal infrastructure and stop vandalising streetlights.
• Refuse removal and street cleaning: Emphasising the need for an operational waste department, Mpambani acknowledged that waste in Dukathole had remained uncollected even on election day, an issue he pledged to address urgently.
• Road infrastructure: Building on his previous term’s achievements, Mpambani promised to continue road upgrades.
“In the previous term, I rehabilitated 18 streets – an achievement unheard of in this region,” he said.