Joburgers weigh vote as anger grows over services

• As Johannesburg heads toward the 4 November local government elections, residents say years of water outages, sewage spills, power cuts and crumbling infrastructure have left many questioning whether their vote still matters.

• From Alexandra to Ivory Park and Rabie Ridge, frustrated residents told Inside Politics that worsening service delivery failures are overshadowing election promises and deepening voter disillusionment.

• With non-revenue water losses nearing 45% and communities battling daily service disruptions, Johannesburg voters say this election is about more than politics, it is about dignity, accountability and basic services.

By Charmaine Ndlela

Johannesburg residents are heading into the 4 November local government polls with a familiar list of grievances: no water, sewage flowing through streets, unreliable electricity and broken infrastructure.

For some, years of poor service delivery have fuelled a deeper question – why vote when little appears to change after election day?

The concerns are backed by official data showing