Young voters in eMalahleni are out in numbers to vote, with anticipation for change in their wards, from service delivery to fewer power and water outages.

For many, it is not just about voting, but about taking responsibility and contributing towards the change they want to see.

Palesa Mofokeng from Ward 24 explained her motivation at the ballot box: “Today I have voted to make a change. I expect better service delivery especially in the ward that I live in, less frequent power and water outages, too. I hope that I can make a change with my vote,” she said.

READ MORE: The fate of Emalahleni in 219 649 hands

Casting a ballot for change

First-time voter Megan Maritz, on the other hand, described her voting experience as easy despite her initial nerves, expressing hope for improvement across the city.

“It was a really easy experience, there were no complications. I was very nervous but I’m excited that I voted and now we can make a change,” she said. “I hope for a big change in the municipality and I hope that we can move forward from here.”

Ishmael Ndimande from Ward 22 said potholes in his area were one of the main reasons he voted. He also urged other young people to stand up and exercise their right to vote.

“I want to see changes, there are potholes. The party that I voted for I hope that it will do better and I hope the youth can stand up and vote so that there can be changes because remember when you are not voting there cannot be any changes, so please stand up and go to vote. Choose the party that you believe in,” he said.

Polling stations across the city remain calm under close watch, but officers have sounded an urgent alert for motorists after an incident on Montagu Street. Find out what happened and read the full safety update on our website here⬇️ https://t.co/vAsfBjc9D7

— WitbankNews (@WitbankN) November 4, 2026

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