Residents of Ivory Park gathered at Penelope Secondary School on June 13 for a community engagement hosted by the Joburg Crisis Alliance (JCA), aimed at empowering citizens ahead of the 2026 local government elections.

The non-partisan meeting drew about 39 residents, with young people making up a significant portion of those in attendance. The session focused on voter education, civic participation, and holding elected representatives accountable for service delivery.

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With the 2026 elections on the horizon, the purpose of the gathering was not to tell residents who to vote for, but rather to equip them with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions and demand better governance from public representatives.

During the meeting, residents were guided through the roles and responsibilities of ward councillors, proportional representation (PR) councillors, and members of mayoral committees. Discussions also explored how communities can effectively engage with elected officials and what qualities residents would like to see in future local leaders.

The session highlighted several pressing challenges facing the Ivory Park community. Residents raised concerns about deteriorating roads, persistent water and sanitation issues, frequent power outages, and the lack of public libraries.

Some community members expressed frustration with the electoral process, stating they had lost confidence in voting because elected leaders often disappeared after elections, failing to address community concerns.

Others spoke about the impact of unreliable electricity on local businesses. Small business owners, including internet café operators, said recurring power outages have affected their ability to generate income and provide services to customers. Potholes and poor road infrastructure were also identified as major concerns affecting daily life in the area.

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JCA project manager Noluthando Sithole said one of the biggest challenges facing communities is a lack of understanding about how local government structures function. “Most residents don’t know the difference between a ward councillor and a PR councillor, let alone how the mayoral committee works. Without that knowledge, communities can’t hold the right people accountable for the right things. The gathering directly addressed this gap.”

She added that many residents underestimate the power they hold as citizens. “The objective around residents recognising their own power is significant. Civic disengagement in South Africa isn’t mostly apathy; it’s often rooted in people not knowing they have legitimate standing to demand, question, and challenge. These gatherings name that power explicitly.”

According to Sithole, the sessions are designed to move participation beyond awareness and into action. “They make participation practical, not just theoretical. It’s one thing to tell people they have rights. It’s another to show them how to actually engage a councillor, escalate a concern, or organise a community response. That practical dimension is what converts awareness into action.”

She said community conversations ahead of elections also helps establish the standards by which residents expect future leaders to be measured. “They shape the demand side of democracy. The objective around discussing what kind of leaders people want is essentially community-led accountability standard-setting. That’s powerful, especially ahead of an election cycle.”

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