Phil Pretorius, DA councillor and candidate for Ward 14 in the upcoming local government elections, writes:

Voting is your right. You can vote for whoever you choose, according to your personal disposition, but the responsibility to vote is fundamental.

You stand on the threshold of a very important election where you can make or break your municipality. The decisions you make, and the word of mouth you spread via social media and in personal conversations, can swing other voters to do the same.

Unfortunately, fake news, misinformation, and information overload can make it difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. Always ask yourself whether information is accurate and realistic before believing and sharing it — this message included.

The most important consideration on election day is to determine the relevance of your choices to what you are actually voting for.

We are not voting for the startup of a church or the approval of a religion. We are not voting for the banning of a language or the historic saviour of your freedoms.

This election is about the services you receive on your streets, at your taps, and in the lightbulbs inside your house. It is about the cutting of grass on municipal sidewalks, blue-glimmering public pools, and state-of-the-art public libraries.

It is about play parks for our kids, basic assistance for safety in our streets, and building control on properties.

It means sewage that runs to a working plant and gets treated according to approved legislation. It means rates and taxes are collected and used where they are needed, rather than being stolen or redistributed illegally.

It refers to government contributions used in the right areas to uplift and develop communities that are lagging behind.

When a small party asks for your support based on non-service-related issues, we have to ask why. If they have not governed anywhere in South Africa, we have to ask why.

If they have governed, we have to ask: how did they do?

If they held a seat in a municipality or had a PR councillor who lived or worked in your ward, we have to ask what they did for you.

We have to ask whether these smaller parties are actually growing year on year, and whether their representatives are fighting for you in your ward or in councils.

Do they even attend council or parliamentary sittings when elected?

Will it just mean that my vote will go to waste if that party does not get a seat, or am I supporting a party that I can trust to continue fighting for me? A party that is large enough to win a ward outright.

Do you know who the representative of that party is in your ward?

Do you know the ward candidate for this election, and what have they done for your ward over the past five to 10 years? Have they introduced themselves?

Have they made any effort to meet or communicate with you?

Do you know what they personally stand for, and have you had a chance to speak to them and get them to assist you with queries?

The DA has a track record second to none on all of the above service-related issues, and can prove that it has fought for you and uplifted Midvaal over the past 26 years.

Why tamper with a winning recipe?

Vote DA on November 4. Because the DA works for all!

*This content was paid for by the Democratic Alliance (DA).