NORTH WEST – As the Local Government Elections approach, a growing wave of voter apathy is sweeping through the Turfloop Informal Settlement near Wolmaranstad, where residents say severe service delivery failures and broken political promises have rendered the democratic process meaningless to them.
With the polls just days away, the community is expressing deep frustration over a lack of basic services, prompting many to question the value of exercising their democratic right.
According to a resident spokesperson, the community’s disillusionment stems from years of unfulfilled promises, particularly dating back to 2022 when residents received stand allocations. Following the allocations, the community approached the municipality and its technical unit requesting housing and basic services, but were allegedly met with empty assurances.
“For the whole five years, why have they been gambling and dealing with our lives with empty promises? We want to know where our budget is,” the resident stated, demanding accountability from local leadership.
The lack of service delivery has resulted in squalid living conditions that pose severe health and educational risks to the community. Residents highlighted that the reliance on mobile toilets has become a critical health hazard. With the weather growing hotter, children playing near the facilities are at a high risk of contracting tuberculosis.
Furthermore, chronic water shortages are disrupting daily life and education. A resident noted that children are frequently unable to attend school because there is no water available at home for cooking or basic hygiene.
In Extension 8 of the settlement, the political disconnect is palpable. Residents expressed mixed and largely negative feelings about casting their ballots, with some declaring a outright boycott.
“We have decided we are not going to vote. No one cares for us. Even political parties do not come to us,” a resident from Extension 8 explained, adding that while some might consider voting for alternative political parties next week, the overarching sentiment is one of abandonment.
In response to the community’s grievances, a municipal spokesperson defended the local authority’s position, explaining that the area is not yet formally established as a township, which legally restricts the municipality to providing only limited services.
The spokesperson noted that the council has passed a resolution to establish a township in Extension 8. However, formalization is a complex statutory process that requires coordination between the municipality and the Department of Human Settlements. Both institutions are currently still in the process of formalizing the area.
Despite the formalization delays, the municipality maintains that it has implemented temporary measures to assist the community. The spokesperson confirmed that 50 Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) toilets have been installed on-site to address the sanitation crisis, and roads have been gravelled to make them more user-friendly.
Looking ahead, the municipality assured residents that permanent projects earmarked for the Turfloop Informal Settlement will be strictly guided by the Municipal Integrated Development Plan (IDP) for the upcoming financial year.
