The period leading up to local government elections always brings political parties much closer to communities.
Political leaders become visible, door-to-door campaigns intensify, community meetings are convened and promises are made about improving service delivery.
Citizens who may have struggled for months to get the attention of councillors and municipal representatives suddenly find themselves at the centre of political campaigns.
This is already becoming evident ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
The question, however, is whether this level of attention will continue after citizens have cast their votes.
Come November, will political parties look back at the communities they have spent months asking to support them, or will the focus immediately shift to council positions, mayoral contests, committee appointments and coalition negotiations?
This question matters because citizens are not participating in local government elections simply to change the composition of municipal councils.
Many are looking for change in the conditions under which they live.
They want municipalities that provide basic services consistently, maintain infrastructure and create communities that are cleaner and safer.
These are not exaggerated expectations. They are central to the purpose of local government.
Across SA, communities experience the performance of municipalities in very practical ways.
Residents know whether refuse is being collected regularly, whether streetlights are functioning, roads are maintained, sewage spillages are attended to and water supply is reliable.
They also know how long it takes for municipal complaints to receive attention.
These everyday experiences often shape how people understand government more than policy statements made at national level.
This is why the elections should not be reduced to another contest for political control.
Political parties should be required, politically if not legally, to account for what they promise before elections and what they deliver afterwards.
One of the weaknesses of election campaigning is that accountability is often strongest before voting day.
Political representatives listen more carefully because they need votes.
Community grievances are recorded because they matter to the campaign.
Once elections are over, however, attention moves towards internal party processes, the allocation of positions and the management of councils.
This is particularly concerning in municipalities where no single party secures an outright majority.
In such councils, coalition negotiations can dominate the political agenda.
Discussions about who becomes mayor, speaker or member of the mayoral committee may be necessary for the establishment of a functioning council, but they should not become more important than the service-delivery mandate voters have given elected representatives.
Political parties should treat November 5 not as the end of an election campaign, but the beginning of a new accountability period.
Those who secure representation in councils should immediately return to the commitments they made during their campaign and begin explaining how those promises will be translated into municipal plans, budgets and programmes.
If a party promised better roads, communities should know which roads will be prioritised and within what period.
If it promised improved waste collection, there should be a measurable programme showing how this will be achieved.
If it promised safer communities, it should explain what role the municipality will play in improving street lighting, bylaw enforcement, environmental management and co-operation with other spheres of government.
There is also a responsibility on citizens.
Communities should keep copies of manifestos, record commitments made at public meetings and continuously compare these promises with municipal Integrated Development Plans, budgets and annual performance reports.
Councillors should not only be visible during election campaigns. They should report regularly to the people who elected them.
Every election produces many promises. The challenge is ensuring those promises survive beyond election day.
Citizens want change because they can see and experience the current shortcomings of local government.
They want functioning municipalities, cleaner public spaces, safer streets, maintained infrastructure and basic services that are delivered reliably.
They also want public representatives who remain accessible after elections.
Political parties should understand that the real test will about be what happens after the votes have been counted.
On November 5, the campaign may be over, but the responsibility will only be beginning.
The question political parties should be prepared to answer is simple: after spending months asking communities for their votes, will they return to those same communities with the same energy when it is time to deliver?
Nandiswa Mpolweni, PhD candidate, public administration, Durban University of Technology, writing in her personal capacity.
