Alexandra residents question political promises as parties campaign across township

The presence of several political parties campaigning in Alexandra stood out on Wednesday, with the ANC, DA, EFF, IFP, UDM, ActionSA and Patriotic Alliance among those visible in the township. The political activity offered a contrast to Hyde Park, where the ANC and DA were the two parties most visible during President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to the voting station.

But while the number of parties campaigning in Alexandra may suggest a wider range of political choices for residents, conversations with people in the area revealed a deeper frustration with local government and questions about whether political parties remain committed to communities once election season has passed.

For Zakariah, an Alexandra resident, the presence of smaller parties presents an opportunity for voters to consider alternatives to parties that have previously been given the chance to govern but, in his view, have not delivered the changes residents need. “Some of these parties that are small, they have right intentions, maybe we can give them a chance, we can see where they end up, and what they do for the people,” he said.

He believes political leaders need to do more than visit communities during election campaigns, arguing that residents should be consulted and that the distance between politicians and the people they represent needs to be reduced. He also called for greater accountability, saying those who engage in corruption or break the law should face consequences.

However, he acknowledged that having many parties competing for votes could also leave some residents uncertain about whom to support. He said that voters would have to consider the performance of parties that have already held positions of power. “These parties are many because they are coming to us, they are promising us,” he said.

Zakariah also pointed to the differences between Alexandra and wealthier suburbs, arguing that residents in the township continue to face challenges that people in more affluent areas do not experience to the same extent. For him, the promises made during election campaigns need to translate into improvements in people’s everyday lives.

That frustration was echoed by Desmond Matseke, who said he had chosen not to vote because he wanted to see meaningful change before participating in another election. He said the community had been struggling with basic service delivery, including rubbish collection and electricity supply.

Matseke said rubbish that had accumulated in the area in the days before the election was cleared on election day. While he acknowledged that the area had been cleaned, he questioned why such attention was not consistently given to the community outside election periods. “I feel like they only care about us when it’s time for us to vote. But afterwards, what else are we getting from them? What help are we getting?” he said.

He also described struggling without electricity for approximately two weeks and questioned the visibility of local representatives when residents needed assistance. Matseke said he did not even know who his ward councillor was, raising concerns about how residents could hold their representatives accountable if they did not know who to approach.

He further questioned the kind of support political parties offered during election campaigns, arguing that providing transport to voting stations did little to address the daily difficulties faced by residents, particularly elderly people who needed to travel to clinics, hospitals or collect their social grants.

For Matseke, campaign gestures such as distributing T-shirts or offering election-day transport were not enough to demonstrate a genuine commitment to the community. He wanted to see practical assistance and consistent engagement with residents long after the campaign vehicles had left.

The experiences shared by the residents point to a broader question facing political parties competing for support in Alexandra - whether their visibility during elections will be matched by a sustained presence in the community once the new councils are in place.

Although the number of parties campaigning in the township gives residents several options to consider, their presence alone does not necessarily reflect public confidence or support. For residents such as Zakariah and Matseke, the real measure of political commitment will be whether the next local government can address the problems that continue to shape everyday life in Alexandra.