ETHEKWINI Mayor Cyril Xaba cast his vote at the Cowies Hill Community Hall earlier today (November 4), joining scores of Ward 18 residents who came out to exercise their democratic right.

Speaking to the media after voting, Xaba described the progress made by the municipality over the past two years, focusing on efforts to improve service delivery, address crime, attract investment and stimulate tourism.

“Our goal is to extend water to other areas. We have also deployed police to bring down the crime rate, and we have reduced the rate of unemployment in the city. We have attracted huge investment into the city,” said Xaba.

He pointed to a recent investment announcement worth billions of rand, adding that eThekwini had exceeded expectations in growing its tourism sector.

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“We are a city that has surpassed all other expectations. We have been ranked number 14 in the entire world as the best place to travel. We have also increased tourism numbers,” he said.

Xaba said he was proud of what had been achieved during his time in office.

Asked to rate his tenure as mayor, Xaba said he believed he had delivered on the commitments he made when he accepted the position.

“I have actually done well as the mayor of the city. I don’t want to compare myself to any other mayor, but all the things that I’ve set myself to do, you can go back to my acceptance speech and read everything that is there. I’ve achieved that and even more,” he said.

The mayor also urged residents to make their voices heard by participating in the elections.

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“All our people must come out and exercise their democratic right. That is the only way they can be heard. It is through them deciding who they select as the government of the day to lead progress and better their own lives,” said Xaba.

He expressed concern about voter enthusiasm, referring to the turnout recorded during the 2021 local government elections, and called on residents to improve participation this time around.

“In the last elections in 2021, voter turnout was so poor. It was at 45%, compared to 58% in the previous elections. We want to turn that around this time and surpass the 58% mark,” he said.

Xaba acknowledged that the Covid-19 pandemic and the unrest experienced in 2021 had contributed to the circumstances surrounding the previous elections. 

However, he urged residents not to take their right to vote for granted.

“Many people think this is something they can leave to other people. No, it’s not about that. If the poll is below 50%, it means that whoever is governing that city represents a minority when compared to the entire voting population. We want you to be heard,” he said.

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