Opinion piece by Mmusi Maimane; Build One South Africa
Article originally featured in the September 2026 issue of JOY! Magazine
After our last article on “How Should Christians Vote?”, many people asked, “How does my vote actually make a difference?” It’s a fair question. After years of broken promises and failing services, it’s easy to believe that one vote won’t change much. But here’s the truth: the elections that have the biggest impact on your daily life are often the ones that receive the least attention.
Where your vote matters most
Local government decides whether the streetlights work, whether your rubbish is collected, whether roads are repaired, whether water reaches your home, and whether your community has the leadership it deserves. When you vote in a local election, you are not just choosing a councillor – you are choosing the future of the place you call home. The future your children will grow up in, your business will operate in, and your family will inherit.
Where change happens
With local elections coming up in November 2026, South Africans elect representatives to serve on their municipal councils. Voters will receive two ballot papers. Together, these representatives make decisions that affect your daily life in very practical and visible ways.
The first is your ward vote, where you elect the councillor who represents your neighbourhood. This is the person who should be listening to residents, raising local concerns, and holding the municipality accountable on your behalf.
The second is your proportional representation (PR) vote, where you vote for a political party. These votes determine how many seats each party receives in the municipal council and therefore how much influence they have over budgets, oversight, and decision-making.
What does your municipality do?
Many South Africans blame national government for everything. But the truth is that many of the problems we experience every day are the responsibility of local government. Municipalities are responsible for services such as water and sanitation, electricity distribution in many areas, refuse removal, local roads and stormwater systems, parks and public spaces, town planning and building approvals, municipal by-laws and law enforcement, and fire and emergency services in many municipalities. When local government works, communities thrive, property values stabilise, and businesses are more likely to invest and create jobs. When it fails, everyone pays the price through higher costs, unsafe environments, and a steady decline in quality of life.
Voting for tomorrow
You’re not just voting for today – you’re voting for tomorrow. Every vote is an investment in the future. When you vote, you’re deciding whether your children will grow up in neighbourhoods that are safe, clean, and full of opportunity – or in communities where broken infrastructure, corruption, and poor service delivery become the norm. You’re voting for the entrepreneur trying to open a business and create employment. You’re voting for the elderly person who depends on reliable municipal services and dignified living conditions. You’re voting for the family that deserves clean water, working streetlights, and properly maintained roads. Most importantly, you’re voting for the South Africa you want to leave behind. If we don’t choose our future, someone else will choose it for us, often without understanding our needs or priorities.
Stewardship starts at home
Stewardship means taking responsibility – not only for our own lives, but also for the wellbeing of our communities. Loving your neighbour is not only about kindness. It is also about helping build communities where families can flourish, businesses can grow, and public money is used wisely, transparently, and for the common good. Voting is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to practise that responsibility in a democratic society. Before you cast your vote, ask these questions carefully and honestly.
1. Who is my ward candidate?
Forget the party for a moment. Do they know your community and its real challenges? Have they been involved before election season, or do they only appear when votes are needed? Will they answer your calls and attend to issues after the election? Are they competent enough to understand budgets, service delivery systems, and municipal governance? A good councillor should be visible, accountable, and committed to serving residents consistently, not only during campaigns.
2. What is the party’s plan for this municipality?
Every municipality has different challenges, from water shortages to financial mismanagement. Ask practical questions. How will they improve infrastructure maintenance? How will they strengthen financial management and reduce wasteful expenditure? How will they deal with failing services and corruption? Plans matter more than promises, especially when those promises are repeated every election cycle.
3. Will they put people before politics?
South Africans deserve leaders who serve communities instead of political interests. Many municipalities are now governed through coalition governments. That means parties often have to work together to pass budgets and deliver services. Ask candidates a simple but important question: “If no party wins outright, will you work with others to serve residents – or will politics come before people?” Communities need stability, not endless political conflict that delays service delivery and weakens accountability.
Leaders of integrity, people of competence
Most crucial of all: we need leaders of integrity. BOSA is committed to ensuring that local leadership is entrusted to people with integrity – people who serve the community first, not themselves. Secondly, people with competence – so they can be effective at serving citizens in their communities. We must restore integrity in public service. As people of faith, our churches and towns need leadership they can trust. That is why BOSA is bringing young, competent, faith-filled people into municipalities. Leaders who understand stewardship, who will be accountable, and who will put the people of their ward above politics.
Your vote is more powerful than you think
One vote may seem small, but it is part of something much larger. Every functioning municipality, every honest councillor, and every accountable council begins with ordinary citizens deciding to participate and take responsibility. Democracy fails when good people stop believing their vote matters or stop engaging with local issues. Your vote is your voice. Your vote is your responsibility. Your vote is your investment in tomorrow. Because when you vote, you are choosing more than a political party. You are choosing the future your family will live in.
From the ballot to the street
At BOSA, we believe South Africa can work. It starts with ethical leadership, accountable government, and active citizens who refuse to give up on their communities. The future of South Africa is not built only in Parliament. It is built street by street, ward by ward, community by community.
This article appears in the September 2026 issue of JOY! Magazine. Read the digital version of this magazine here: joygifts.co.za
Click here to KEEP UPDATED on the latest news by subscribing to our FREE weekly newsletter.
> Please support Christian media and journalism in South Africa. Help us to spread the Word of God and take a stand for the truth by making a donation to our ministry. We appreciate your support. Click here to take hands with JOY! Magazine.
Date published: 29/08/2026
Feature image: Sourced from original article from JOY! Magazine September issue
DISCLAIMER
JOY! News is a Christian news portal that shares pre-published articles by writers around the world. Each article is sourced and linked to the origin, and each article is credited with the author’s name. Although we do publish many articles that have been written in-house by JOY! journalists, we do not exclusively create our own content. Any views or opinions presented on this website are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company.
