Former president Thabo Mbeki says he has voted for honest people who will serve  residents of Johannesburg. 

Mbeki was speaking at Holy Family College in Parktown where he cast his vote on Monday.

He walk to the venue which had a low turn out of voters.

"I really do hope that we will have a good turnout. All of us recognise problems in the municipalities like service delivery, potholes and all sorts of things. These are challenges faced in municipalities that need to be attended to," he said. 

Mbeki said there is a need for honest people.

"We need honest people not thieves. Hopefully the nature and character of candidates that gets voted in will have a seriousness to attend to challenges faced by municipalities," he said. 

When asked about coalition government, Mbeki said he was not talking on behalf of the ANC.

"I am not allowed to campaign and therefore I am not campaigning for anyone not even myself," he said. 

Lunga Baker, 23, said it was important for him to vote.

"We need to know who to complain to when we are having problems. It won't help sitting at home and decide not to vote. I hope the youth will come in numbers in the afternoon. The voting process is also very smooth, I only spent few minutes inside," he said.