The 2026 Local Government Elections have concluded, with no officially reported election-related disturbances in Germiston and surrounding areas. The ballot boxes have been closed, votes have been counted, and political campaigns have come to an end.

Now that the elections are behind us, residents are left asking one important question: What happens next? Who will be entrusted with taking the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality forward?

Will the promises made during the campaign translate into meaningful improvements, or will residents once again find themselves waiting for the change they were promised? Does a vote really matter once those elected have ascended to the seats of power?

Throughout the campaign season, mayoral candidates were seen on the ground identifying social challenges and service delivery failures across the city.

Non-functional swimming pools, struggling fire stations, and shortages of fire engines and EMPD vehicles dominated political discussions. Dysfunctional streetlights, faulty traffic signals, and pothole-ridden roads took centre stage as parties presented their plans to revive the metro.

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However, the reality on the ground remains concerning. Several roads across the municipality continue to deteriorate, forcing motorists and residents to navigate hazardous conditions.

While certain areas saw road rehabilitation, freshly painted markings, and new street signs in the run-up to the polls, the broader state of municipal infrastructure remains precarious.

The question is whether these repairs will be sustained or whether they were merely campaign-season window dressing. Opposition parties have repeatedly raised red flags over the municipality’s financial stability and its capacity to fund essential services.

Residents cast their ballots hoping that a new administration, or a renewed political mandate, would bring the decisive leadership needed to clean up the metro. But who will be bold enough to make the tough decisions?

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Who will restore financial discipline, improve revenue collection, and ensure municipal departments are adequately funded? Who will stabilise waste management and ensure the Energy Department’s depots are stocked to resolve power outages swiftly?

And what will become of the unfinished infrastructure projects scattered across the city—standing as monuments to years of delays and questionable planning?

The Klopperpark Fire Station remains a glaring example—an issue this publication has covered extensively over recent years. On the campaign trail, DA mayoral candidate Khathutshelo Rasilingwane highlighted the facility, noting that the station has stood incomplete and abandoned for seven years.

The DA outlined proposals to deliver infrastructure on time and within budget by utilising pre-approved, vetted panels of qualified professionals to curb tender abuse by politically connected contractors.

These are the kinds of commitments residents will expect to see fulfilled, regardless of which party or coalition ultimately takes the reins.

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Beyond manifestos, sound bites, and rallies, residents want something simpler: a municipality that works. If our votes truly count, should residents have to struggle for weeks just to get refuse collected?

Should residents have direct access to their elected representatives to voice concerns and receive actionable answers? Accessibility and accountability cannot remain election-season novelties; they must be the daily baseline of public service.

Voters must not become an inconvenience once results are certified. Residents should not have to wait for the next election cycle to see ward councillors walking their streets. True leadership is measured not by promises made on the podium, but by problems resolved on the pavement.

As the new term begins, Ekurhuleni will be watching. We will be watching whether streetlights stay lit, potholes are filled, refuse trucks arrive on schedule, and emergency stations finally open their doors.

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As coalition negotiations unfold behind closed doors, businesses and investors will also be watching closely. Hubs like Wadeville need an administration that understands the vital role functional infrastructure plays in keeping industry alive.

Questions also remain over how the incoming administration will protect vulnerable households reliant on municipal indigent support policies.

The political pacts made in back rooms will determine who wears the mayoral chain and which compromises shape municipal policy. But coalition horse-trading must never eclipse the mandate of the voters.

Whether governed by a single majority or a fragile coalition, the municipality’s first duty remains to the residents and businesses who call Ekurhuleni home. If our votes mattered enough to put leaders in office, our voices must matter enough to hold them accountable.