×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

Hammanskraal voters want change as they cast their ballots

Hammanskraal residents as they enter Motjibosane primary school voting station.
Hammanskraal residents as they enter Motjibosane primary school voting station.
Image: Shonisani Tshikalange

Having battled ongoing water struggles in Hammanskraal, those who cast their ballots at the Motjibosane Primary School voting station said they voted for change.

Onicca Moima, 51, said she made a different choice by voting for a different party to last time around.

“Changes will be there. I believe that they will start being here,” she said after casting her vote.

She complained of water and sewerage problems.

“What is happening here is a problem. Now that we have voted, we are relieved,” she said.

Residents have battled to access clean water for more than a decade, with two reports earlier this year deeming the water in the area unfit for consumption.

When TimesLIVE visited the area, residents were walking in to cast their votes.

Another resident, Matshidiso Madiseng, 40, said it was important to vote to make a change “because we are struggling with water and electricity”.

“They have been promising for 25 years that electricity and water will be OK, but they are always postponing [solutions]. If it’s not a pipe needing to be fixed, something gets ruined. Now I am going to vote for change,” she said.

She said they were struggling with basic needs.

“I am hoping that with my vote I will make a change,” she said.

Lukas Makwela, 45, said he had to vote so that it could be put to good use.

“If you don’t vote, your vote might be used in a way you didn’t want. We want to choose the right party that will represent us and do things for us the way we want them to do. We have a water problem, we also have a problem with sewerage. They have since installed flushing toilets but they are not working even now; they are blocked. They have since promised to come and fix it,” he said.

He said he had voted for a different party and hoped they would do better than his previous choice.

Meriam Makwela, 39, said: “Maybe if we keep on voting they will do the right thing.”

Aaron Maodi, 39, said he chose to vote because he wants change in his community.

“There are a lot of political parties that want to rule our ward, so we are voting so that we can select the one that will develop us, create jobs so that we can also develop,” he said.

He said he wants to see changes in service delivery and job creation.

“The challenge that we have is of water and the services that we are getting here. We want the roads to be fixed,” he said.

TimesLIVE