HOW CAN A PARTY CLAIM TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE IF ITS COUNCILLOR DOES NOT LIVE IN THE WARD?
By Des Palm | CAPE of GOOD HOPE
With the 2026 Local Government Elections approaching, residents should be asking an important question: how can a political party genuinely claim to represent the people of a ward if the person it nominates as its ward councillor does not live in that ward?
A ward councillor is not simply a political representative who attends council meetings, votes on motions and reports back to party headquarters. The councillor is supposed to be the link between residents and the municipality — the person who understands the community’s daily problems, local priorities and concerns.
How well can you represent a community if you do not live among the people you claim to represent?
A resident councillor experiences the same roads, traffic congestion, water interruptions, sewage problems, safety concerns, development pressures and service-delivery failures as the people living in the ward. They see these problems first-hand. They have neighbours who raise concerns with them, and they have a personal stake in the future of the area.
A councillor who lives elsewhere may still be dedicated, capable and committed. Residence alone does not determine a person’s ability to serve. But it is reasonable to ask why a party would nominate someone who does not live in the community when there may be suitable candidates who do.
This is not about political party affiliation. It is about accountability, local knowledge and the relationship between a representative and the people who must live with the consequences of municipal decisions.
When a party selects its candidates, does it first ask who is best known and trusted by the residents of that ward? Does it consider people who have been actively involved in local issues and who have demonstrated a commitment to the community? Or does party preference take priority over local representation?
Residents should not have to accept a candidate simply because a political party has placed that person’s name on the ballot.
They should be entitled to ask every ward candidate three straightforward questions:
- Do you live in this ward?
- If not, why should residents believe that you understand their local needs as well as someone who lives here?
- What have you personally done for this community, and how will you remain accountable to its residents?
These are fair questions, not personal attacks. Candidates should be willing to answer them openly.
COMMUNITY ADVISORY PANELS — A SOLUTION THAT MAKES SENSE
But perhaps we are asking too much of the ward councillor alone. A councillor, whether resident or not, cannot possibly know every street, every neighbourhood concern and every local development issue affecting an entire ward.
The only approach that truly makes sense is to establish Community Advisory Panels made up of residents from each ward and suburb.
These panels should consist of people who actually live in the communities concerned, understand local conditions and are prepared to contribute their time and knowledge to the betterment of their area.
A panel could include residents with experience in town planning, building and development, traffic, public safety, environmental matters, infrastructure, business and community affairs. Most importantly, it should include ordinary residents who understand what is happening on the ground.
Such panels would provide a direct link between the community and its elected representatives. They could identify local priorities, raise concerns about proposed developments, monitor service delivery and advise on matters that directly affect residents.
The purpose would not be to replace elected councillors or municipal officials. It would be to ensure that decisions affecting a community are informed by the people who know that community best.
For these panels to work, they must be genuinely representative of local residents, accessible to the public and transparent in their recommendations. They must not become another political appointment system or a platform controlled by one party. Their value lies in their independence, local knowledge and direct connection with the people they serve.
A councillor should welcome such a panel. It would provide an organised source of local knowledge and a means of understanding residents’ concerns beyond the usual public meetings and complaints.
And if a councillor does not live in the ward, a properly constituted Community Advisory Panel would help ensure that local voices are still heard.
REPRESENTATION MUST START WITH THE PEOPLE
Of course, a councillor represents the whole ward, including residents whose political views differ from their own. The responsibility is to serve the community, not merely the party that nominated them. That responsibility demands more than an election promise. It requires accessibility, regular engagement and a willingness to listen to residents throughout the term of office.
A political party may nominate a candidate, but it is the residents who must live with the consequences of that choice.
Before voting, residents of Table View, Parklands, Bloubergstrand and surrounding areas should establish who their ward candidates are, where those candidates live, what involvement they have had in the community and whether they are prepared to be held accountable.
The question is not whether a person who lives outside a ward can ever be a good councillor. The question is why local residents should not expect their political parties to give proper consideration to candidates who actually live in, understand and participate in the communities they seek to represent.
And beyond the election, why should residents not have a permanent, structured voice in municipal matters through Community Advisory Panels?
Local government starts locally. Local representation should do the same. The people who live in a community must have a meaningful say in the decisions that shape their future.
Des Palm
CAPE of GOOD HOPE
Community advocacy for accountable local government and meaningful public participation.
