ROSE Cortes of the eThekwini Ratepayers Movement Association said she is standing as councillor for Ward 18 because she believes residents deserve active representation, meaningful engagement and accountability.

“A councillor’s responsibility is not simply to attend council meetings or represent a political party. It is to represent the people who elected them, ensure their concerns are heard, and hold the municipality accountable for delivering the services residents pay for.

“My experience has been built through years of civic activism and ratepayer advocacy. Through the eThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement, I have been involved in escalating service delivery failures, engaging municipal officials, participating in budget and Integrated Development Plan processes, and challenging decisions that undermine residents’ interests.

“This work has given me practical insight into how local government functions, where accountability breaks down, and how difficult it can be for ordinary residents to get answers from the very institutions meant to serve them.

“I understand that effective representation requires more than identifying problems. It requires persistence, the ability to engage constructively with officials, decisions when necessary, and the discipline to follow matters through until residents receive answers and, where possible, solutions.

“Ward 18 needs this kind of leadership urgently. Residents have been left living with the consequences of two incomplete and deeply disruptive projects: the Stapleton project and the aqueduct project, which has caused significant disruption to our roads and neighbourhoods.

“These are not abstract municipal failures. They affect people’s daily lives, their mobility, their safety, their properties and their confidence in local government.

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“Residents are entitled to ask why these projects remain unresolved, who is being held accountable, what the timelines are, and what their ward councillor is doing to ensure progress.

“The current leadership has been absent from the helm of projects in this ward; residents need their councillor to intervene, engage the relevant authorities and provide regular, honest updates.

“This specifically applies to the aqueduct project. A councillor cannot personally manage every municipal project, but they must be the community’s voice in demanding answers and action.

“It is no wonder that residents are asking, ‘When will we get Rodger Sishi back?’ That question speaks to the frustration people feel when they believe their community is not receiving the representation it needs. My commitment is to restore the relationship between residents and local government.

“I want regular, accessible community engagement, transparent communication, proper follow-up on complaints and a councillor who reports back — not only when there is good news, but especially when there are setbacks or failures. I also believe that residents must be involved in decisions that affect their neighbourhoods.”

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