JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — Ahead of the upcoming local government elections, Bez Valley residents are demanding strict accountability from ward councillors in Ward 64. Community members in the eastern Johannesburg suburbs of Bez Valley and Bertrams convened a public forum on Friday morning to test political candidates, expressing deep frustration that elected officials have abandoned their constitutional mandates in favor of securing a lucrative income.
Under the Municipal Structures Act of 1998, a ward councillor serves as the direct link between the community and the municipality, tasked with ensuring residents’ needs—from basic service delivery to local development—are heard. However, locals argue that many candidates contest elections solely to secure a salary, which currently sits above R550,000 per annum in a metropolitan municipality, rather than to serve the public.
To address these concerns, a local community-based organization organized the gathering, inviting all councillor candidates contesting the upcoming elections to present their parties’ local government manifestos.
“This gathering is not about party politics, but about putting service delivery first,” a community organizer told the candidates. “We wanted to make sense to them that they need to stop fighting, respect their policies, and remember the residents. We also hope that through engagements like this, residents will understand exactly what a councillor can and cannot do, and know what to demand.”
Despite the clear agenda, the meeting highlighted a disconnect between political promises and community realities. When pressed on specific solutions, one ward candidate avoided making direct promises regarding infrastructure or water fixes.
“Turning Ward 64 around isn’t something that one person can do on their own. At the end of the day, we’re all going to have to hold hands and work together,” the candidate stated, adding, “I’m not going to promise you service delivery. I’m not going to promise to fix water. I am going to promise to stand with you as I have been doing for the last five years.”
The forum also exposed a glaring absence: the sitting councillor, the very person currently entrusted with the ward, did not attend the meeting.
Residents were vocal about the severe deterioration of their neighborhoods, pointing to a lack of understanding among candidates regarding the actual scope of their job descriptions.
“If you check our community, there’s a hole everywhere,” one frustrated resident noted, highlighting the area’s infrastructure decay. “There are robberies. They are killing each other here in Bez Valley and Bertrams. I don’t see the importance of this if they are not ready to explain their job description.”
The community’s grievances extend far beyond potholes. Residents reported being plagued by illegal dumping sites, severe electricity and water challenges, and escalating crime rates. Many expressed disappointment that the political parties failed to clearly articulate their commitments to action, leaving voters unsure of what the candidates actually stand for.
As the local government elections loom just two weeks away, the residents of Bez Valley and Bertrams remain steadfast in their message: they will no longer accept politicians who forget their constitutional duties once they secure a seat and a salary.
