What is the point of voting?: Ivory Park Extension 2 youth lose faith in the ballot

In Ivory Park Extension 2, Tembisa, the prospect of another election has done little to excite young people, some of whom say they have made up their minds not to vote.

Instead of discussing political parties or campaign promises, a group of young people sit together playing Ludo and drinking. For them, the conversation about voting feels disconnected from the reality of their everyday lives.

They say they have been without running water since March last year, with little indication of when the situation will improve.

Clement Maisa is among those who have lost faith in the electoral process. He questions what difference casting a ballot will make when the problems confronting their community remain unresolved.

“What is the point? There will still be no jobs and there will still be no water when we wake up tomorrow,” he says.

For Maisa, the frustration is not only about broken political promises; it is also about the daily indignity of living without a basic necessity.

“Look, young children are carrying buckets of water in this scorching heat to take home. They do this every day. Don't tell me about voting,” he says.

His words capture a growing disillusionment among young people who feel that their voices are sought only when political parties need votes but are largely ignored when communities demand accountability.

In Ivory Extension 2, the question is no longer who deserves their vote,but whether voting has any meaning when the most basic promises of service delivery remain unfulfilled.