First-time voters in Pretoria East and surrounding areas see the local government elections on November 4 as an opportunity to have their voices heard.

Maria Magolego Visser (19) from Ward 82, Len van Zyl Muller (19) from Ward 47 in Pretoria East and Dirk Kunz (21) from Ward 96 share an interest in seeing meaningful change and greater accountability.

For Visser, casting her first vote comes with excitement and uncertainty.

“Voting is something I’ve never done before, so this is my first time voting,” she said. “It’s something that impacts not just me but also so many other people, so it makes me a bit nervous.”

She believes participating in the elections could help put the country on a path towards a better future.

Visser said she was satisfied with her community’s progress, crediting her ward councillor for keeping in contact with residents and listening to their concerns.

However, she said the electricity infrastructure and underground water pipes still needed improvement.

Beyond her immediate surroundings, Visser highlighted femicide, gender-based violence, access to education and environmental protection as issues requiring greater attention.

She also believes young people should have a stronger voice in politics and local government.

“I don’t think that the concerns of the youth are being heard because we are seen more as children than as growing adults, and therefore our opinions matter less,” she said.

Visser said accessible information about political parties and their candidates would help young voters make informed decisions rather than relying on word of mouth or potentially misleading information online.

She wants elected leaders to demonstrate honesty and follow through on their promises.

“I’d like to see more honesty and truth and actual action,” she said. “Words can only do so much, but it’s the action that you put in that really impacts us.”

Service delivery and jobs a priority

Muller also sees voting as an opportunity to influence decisions affecting his community.

He identified youth employment, service delivery, community safety, education and infrastructure maintenance among his main concerns.

He would like to see better road maintenance, more efficient waste collection and quicker responses to service delivery complaints.

Muller said he registered because he believes people who want change should participate in the democratic process.

He has researched political parties and candidates through news coverage, online information and discussions with family and friends, but believes more should be done to make election information accessible to young voters.

He also wants representatives to remain visible and accountable beyond election periods.

“While many leaders talk about youth issues, young people often feel that their concerns are only discussed during election periods,” he said.

Muller hopes the elections will bring better service delivery, stronger community development and more opportunities for young people.

His main concern is whether elected representatives will honour their commitments, but he believes voting gives residents an opportunity to hold leaders accountable.

Calls for financial accountability

Kunz, meanwhile, said he was excited to cast his first vote in the local government elections and believed Tshwane had an opportunity for change.

“Personally, it means I can turn disgust into direction, an opportunity to usher in a new administration, specifically one that does not blame me, but takes accountability,” he said.

Kunz said effective municipal management and financial accountability were important to creating an environment in which communities and local businesses could grow.

He also highlighted effective policing, better integration of public transport routes, particularly those serving areas such as Soshanguve, and stronger support systems for vulnerable residents.

Kunz said he had researched several political parties, although he acknowledged that staying informed could be difficult.

He wants local representatives to communicate regularly with residents, provide updates and take the initiative in community projects.

Like Visser and Muller, Kunz believes young people need greater representation in local government.

He said he hoped residents would work together to hold their councillors accountable and support efforts to improve their communities.

For them, casting a first vote is not only a milestone but also an opportunity to take part in shaping the communities in which they live.

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