Tlokwe municipality in the North West, was in the news after the IEC cancelled by-elections around the country after the Electoral Court said the voters roll in Tlokwe did not contain all the correct information. This resulted in the ANC and the DA taking the matter to the courts. We recently visited the municipality to see if young people were looking forward to the upcoming municipal elections. We asked them if anything had changed since the last elections and if they are voting in the upcoming municipal elections.
“I’m a young person and I’m still unemployed”
“To be honest, there hasn’t been any change since the last elections. If there is, it’s very minimal. I’m a young person and I’m still unemployed. All we get is empty promises, and that’s why I am not going to vote in the upcoming elections. Change happens in places that are shown on TV, but not small towns. As young people, especially where I come from, we are so discouraged and it’s such a state of despair, we don’t know what to do anymore. Therefore, I’m standing up to say I’m not going to vote for a change that I’m not seeing at all.” – Buhle Mhlatswi (26), unemployed.
“Things are still the same”
“Ever since the last elections, there hasn’t been any change. Things are still the same. There hasn’t been any improvement in our communities. I won’t be voting in the next elections as I feel that there’s no political party that is worthy of my vote. All the political parties are selling empty promises they are not even fulfilling.” – Palesa Kade (23)
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“The municipality needs to do more for the youth”
“I don’t feel like there has been much of a change in our district since the last elections. There’s a need for job opportunities, especially for the unemployed youth. The municipality needs to do more for the youth, they need to provide funding for us so we can start our own businesses. I feel it will be useless for me to vote, as there’s so much corruption within the government, also we don’t know where the money is going or why there’s no change in our community.” – Tshidiso Masengwako (20), a Forex trader
“I can’t criticise the people in power without using my power to vote”
“Some areas in Tlokwe are fortunate enough to have seen some change, whereas some haven’t received at all. I believe the municipality needs to play a pivotal role in encouraging the youth to engage in sports and recreation. If they could do that then the youth would be off the streets. They would influence each other in a positive manner. The youth is more invested in partying and drinking, there’s a desperate need for programmes that would uplift them and make them constructive contributors to the community. I will be voting in the upcoming elections, I count as a South African citizen and thus my voice should be heard. I can’t criticise the people in power without using my power to vote.” – Sylvester Maribe (21), a student at North West University.
Has anything changed in your area since the last elections? Are you voting in the upcoming municipal elections? Let us know in the comments section or on Facebook and Twitter.
