President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday called on South Africans to elect candidates they trusted to deliver services in their neighbourhoods when they vote in municipal elections set for November 1.
Addressing the nation in his weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa encouraged registered voters to exercise their civic duty by casting their votes in the upcoming local government elections which he said would have a direct impact on their daily lives.
The local polls, and candidates ultimately chosen, directly impacted citizens and their quality of life, he said.
“These elections are about the material issues that matter most to people, such as access to water and electricity, properly functioning hospitals and clinics, safety and security guaranteed by an efficient police service, well-maintained roads, and well-resourced public schools,” Ramaphosa noted.
He added: “For this reason, it is paramount that South Africans should approach their civic duty to vote in local government elections with the same enthusiasm with which they vote in national and provincial elections.”
He urged South Africans to commit to working “with whoever is ultimately elected, regardless of which political party they belong to.”
“We should not say we have no interest in working with or assisting the newly-elected official because they were not our favoured candidate,” he said
NM/jn/APA