Anti-apartheid activists urge South Africans to vote and hold local leaders accountable

Former anti-apartheid activists are urging South Africans to vote in the upcoming local government elections and hold their elected officials accountable. Dr Sathasivan Cooper, Ela Gandhi, and Siva Naidoo reflected on the progress made since 1994, acknowledging both positive advancements and ongoing issues such as poverty, unemployment, inequality, poor service delivery, and a lack of accountability.

Cooper expressed concerns about party-appointed candidates, which limit voters' ability to choose local leaders who can be held directly accountable for addressing community needs. He advocated for a directly-accountable constituency system, where citizens' wishes take precedence over the interests of the elite seeking power. Gandhi emphasized the importance of local government in delivering essential services and urged voters to support trustworthy candidates, while Naidoo highlighted issues like poor financial management, corruption, and inadequate technical capacity within local governments.

Despite acknowledging the gains made since the dawn of democracy, the activists stressed that the promise of freedom must translate into dignity, opportunity, and a better quality of life for all South Africans. They urged the public to vote based on their convictions rather than party slogans and to hold their councillors accountable for the promises made during the election campaign.