GEORGE, Western Cape — As political parties gear up for the George municipal elections, a stark contrast defines the strategic economic hub of the Garden Route. The municipality presents a tale of two worlds: a highly functional, well-managed city center and marginalized outskirts where the labor force struggles on the fringes of a prosperous economy.
Currently, the Democratic Alliance (DA) holds the mayoral chain, governing through a coalition with the Freedom Front Plus and the African Christian Democratic Party. However, the status quo is being fiercely challenged by the Patriotic Alliance (PA) and the African National Congress (ANC), setting the stage for a complex political battle.
In the city center, George is often hailed as a poster child for good governance. Residents enjoy clean streets, buses that arrive on schedule, and potholes repaired within a single business day. Yet, this impressive facade masks a deep-seated apartheid-era spatial architecture that still divides the region. Travel to the outskirts—specifically Thembalethu, Pacaltsdorp, and Conville—and the reality shifts. These areas serve as the background noise and labor force for the city, inhabited by people who can barely afford to live in the functional metropolis they help run. Breaking this divide will require more than political promises; it will demand immense courage.
For one 26-year-old resident who relocated from the Eastern Cape, the hustle for survival is a daily reality. After a brief, unsuccessful stint working in Cape Town, she moved to George and started with nothing. Beginning by selling muffins and drinks, she is now striving to open her own restaurant.
Despite her entrepreneurial drive, the resident has faced the harsh backdrop of xenophobia. Her business acumen led some customers to accuse her of being a foreigner, refusing to believe a South African could possess such skills. The irony of a local citizen being accused of not belonging in her own country is not lost on her. The prejudice even caused her to trend on Facebook, which ironically helped her gain more customers. Her father, a former local councillor, taught her the importance of voting, but the socio-economic climate remains challenging.
This frustration is most palpable among the youth in Thembalethu, where patience is rapidly running out. When asked about their voting intentions, many young residents expressed profound apathy. Unemployed and spending their days lying in bed, they feel that casting a ballot yields no tangible difference. Some 18-year-olds remain unregistered, citing a lack of focus on politics and a belief that politicians simply do not do their jobs to create employment.
The political disconnect is evident on the ground. While the fight for control is loud in the suburbs, it barely registers on the fringes. In Thembalethu, the Patriotic Alliance’s campaign is largely unrecognized; some locals were unaware of the party’s presence, with one resident even asking if the PA was the political party known for wearing green t-shirts. The people who carry the city on their backs remain largely unheard in the political discourse.
Ultimately, the biggest loser when communities like Thembalethu stay home is the community itself, as a ballot not cast is simply a voice handed over to someone else. Yet, in the face of this apathy and systemic neglect, a spirit of self-reliance persists. Refusing to wait for government intervention, local entrepreneurs and residents are taking matters into their own hands, proving that when the system fails to provide, the people of George are finding ways to do something for themselves.
