By Vuyani Sibene
The Public Participation and Rapid Response (PPRR) Forum convened at the Buffalo City Metro Town Hall two weeks ago marked a pivotal moment as South Africa prepares for the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE). Speaking at the Forum Ms Charity Sihunu, the Acting Deputy Director-General (DDG) for Local Government underscored the constitutional imperative of five-year political terms. She said the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) will conduct elections to usher in new leaders with a fresh mandate from the electorate.
“It is therefore once again time , where all relevant stakeholders should play their roles towards the free and fair 2026 LGE,” she said.
The Forum placed emphasis on the constitutional right of citizens to participate in the elections and elect their government guided by Section 19(2) of the Constitution which guarantees every adult citizen the right to free, fair, and regular elections. Mr Siyabonga Maki, Manager at the IEC, raised the critical issue of community education, noting that awareness of these rights is essential for peaceful and meaningful elections. From the Office of the Premier (OTP), Mr Dumisani Feni highlighted challenges in handling citizen complaints in the Eastern Cape. He said there was a need to integrate the Presidential Hotline and Premier’s Hotline systems, stressing the importance of achieving a 95% resolution rate for petitions. “We experience challenges with municipalities and government departments, particularly with their Public Liaison Officers. The time for working together is now,” he urged.
The Security Cluster led by the South African Police Services (SAPS) reinforced the message of unity, warning against any disconnect between government and communities. Mr Mboniswa Nodlabi, Chief Director of Public Participation and Rapid Response, encouraged citizens to exercise their right to vote constructively. “We encourage communities to exercise their right to vote and not destroy infrastructure in their municipalities during service delivery protests. Our office bearers and all government stakeholders must be on the ground to explain government service including challenges pertaining to the non-delivery of services to communities,” he stated.
