Empty promises and hopes for change shape election mood in Phoenix and Chatsworth - IOL

KwaMhlongo Informal Settlement in Crossmoor, Chatsworth.

Residents of informal settlements in Phoenix and Chatsworth say poor services, housing insecurity and broken promises will shape whether they vote, switch parties or stay away in South Africa’s 2026 local government elections.

Residents at the Brookesfarm Informal Settlement in Westham, Phoenix, and the KwaMhlongo Informal Settlement in Crossmoor, Chatsworth, have mixed feelings about the impact of their vote, with some questioning the commitment of politicians and local leaders to the needs of their constituents. 

Neeta Soobramoney, 54, who is unemployed, said she was eager to vote.  

“I last voted more than 10 years ago, then I stopped because no one helped us. This time I am voting for a new party. I'm tired of the old party who made, and continues to make, empty promises.” 

For Soobramoney, having access to a councillor is important. 

“When I was sick last year, a candidate councillor, who was not from the party I voted for, was there for me. When my daughter passed away from cancer, this candidate councillor cooked food for all the neighbours. When I had an operation, she was there for me. She is always around, pays attention and checks on us.”  

Soobramoney has been living at Brookesfarm for 27 years. 

She previously rented properties in Phoenix and shares the home with her mother, husband, son, and two granddaughters. 

Soobramoney said following her daughter’s death, the children’s dad had abandoned them, and the girls had become her responsibility. 

She said going forward, she hoped the elected councillor would take up issues, including speaking to the principal of the school her granddaughters attended to exempt them from paying school fees, and dealing with service delivery issues. 

“We do not get bin packets to dispose of our dirt. This is important as rubbish gathers on pathways and can become a health hazard. Candidates in government also promised us that they would fix leaking structures and give us solar power. They took all our personal information but did not deliver. That is why I am voting for change.”  

Seventy-eight- year-old Radhamathie Sanichara has ben living in Brookesfarm in Phoenix for twenty-seven years.

Soobramoney’s mother, Radhamathie Sanichara, 78, is unsure who she will vote for. 

“I have always voted, but these days I am not sure. When I voted before, I hoped I would get help. But now, we are forgotten.”  

“If we don't vote, then we don't have a say in how the country is run. And I want my great-granddaughters to have a good education. They are our future.” 

Tanya Mtolo with her 18-month-old daughter, Tamia.

Neighbour, Tanya Mtolo, 34, is an unemployed mother of five. 

Her greatest concern is educating and providing a better life for her children, aged between 17 months and 15. 

This is the second time Mtolo would be eligible to vote since she obtained her identity document in 2020, but she decided she would not vote in November. 

“I voted during the last LGE in 2021, but I don’t think I will vote this time. All they (politicians) do is come, make empty promises for your vote, and then disappear. 

“I approached councillors about housing but received no help. I did not get any benefit from voting. When you vote for someone, it is because you believe in what they stand for and it means something to you. But now, I don’t care,” said Mtolo.   

She said she wanted a better - and proper - home for her family. 

“There are holes everywhere, and as a result, there are always insects. When it rains, everything gets wet. I need the government to give us a better house.” 

For Lonisha Govender, 28, her priorities are clear. 

She is looking for a candidate who will not only support educational opportunities but will also bring tangible change to her family and community.  

“I will be voting for the same party I voted for in 2021. While they may have some ups and downs with corruption, everyone makes mistakes, and I trust and believe in them,” said Govender.  

She is married to mechanic Michael Lwazi Boyce, and they have three children aged 2, 5 and 11.  

Determined to reclaim her aspirations, Govender is currently pursuing her Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) Level 4, which is equivalent to Grade 9. Once she completes her ABET, she wants to study nursing and hopes to further her studies to become a doctor one day. 

“When I vote, I vote with the hope that my preferred party provides skills development and creates educational opportunities. I was unable to make my dream of becoming a doctor a reality, but I have not given up on myself. And as a parent, I want the best for my children. I want them to grow up with access to educational resources. 

“Owning my own home is also important to me. The informal home that we live in was built by my mother-in-law more than 20 years ago. I wish we could get an RDP (reconstruction and development) home with proper toilets.  

“We currently use communal toilets. Some of the doors are locked, so only certain people have access to these facilities. The rest of us have to use dirty, unhygienic toilets. It’s difficult, especially when you have children training to use the toilet.”  

Thembeni Nsele is voting for a different party this year because she wants change.

Govender’s neighbour, Thembeni Nsele, 36, is undecided on who to cast her vote for.  

“I’ve voted for the same people all the time, but there is no change.  Maybe this time, if I change my vote, there may be change, and that change will help us. I wish that the one who gets in that chair will remember us,” said Nsele, a mother of four. 

She said she previously lived in the Free State and moved to Durban nine years ago to pursue a career as a security officer. When her contract expired, she was unable to get another job and ended up moving into the settlement. 

She said she “bought” her home for R10 000.

Zanele Ngobese, the spokesperson for Abahlali baseMjondolo, a  socialist shack dwellers' movement in South Africa, said there were about 4 300 informal settlements across the country and they encouraged every person to vote. 

"Most people are not happy to vote because they feel the government is failing them. But happy or not, they must cast their votes because it is their right to do so. Their voices will be heard,” said Ngobese. 

She said that despite councillor candidates campaigning in informal settlements “making false promises,” they would still engage with them, hoping that the communities' pleas and concerns would be heard.