CAPE TOWN - The rain saw a low voter turn-out in Mfuleni during the course of Monday afternoon.
A continued lack of service delivery in the area also dampened spirits around voting for ward 114 residents.
Resident Nokadephi Mangqangwana said corruption in the province was the reason why many people did not participate in the elections this year.
“The reason why I voted is that my vote counts, and if you want to change in this country, you must vote.
“There is a lot of change I want to see and one of those is, I want the government to reduce the old age grant to 55 years because most of us don’t reach the set age which is 60 and above.
“The issue of housing is a very critical one.
“People want land and proof of that is the high number of informal structures everywhere.
“My area is full of informal settlements. A 24-year-old is supposed to be independent of their family but unfortunately, things are not that way.
“People forcefully build informal settlements because the government is refusing to give away land and jobs. We have an issue with corruption in the province and that has made people not vote.
“We have people who have been on the waiting list for houses for more than 15 to 20 years, their houses are being sold to people not deserving to get a house,” said Mangqangwana.
Thirty-seven-year-old Mfuleni resident Mzuvukile Cawe said a lack of transparency, accountability and honesty by the government has led to a low number of youth voting in the area.
“I am very disappointed by the low turn-out by the youth. Most of the people who came to vote are elderly and that is a clear indication that the youth have lost hope in the government.
“The youth is supposed to be at the forefront to bring change because the country belongs to them and they are the ones who have the power to bring about change in this country.
“The lack of transparency, accountability and honesty by the government has led to the opening of new political parties and by that, the national governing party has lost a number of voters.
“The change I want to see in my area is the cleaning of the streets including the fixing of sewage pipes and potholes. We (don’t) have to travel to far areas to get Home Affairs services and Hospitals,” said Cawe.
Cape Times