ALEXANDRA, GAUTENG — Community members facing Alexandra township illegal dumping and service delivery failures continue to grapple with increasingly concerning living conditions ahead of Wednesday’s local government elections. Residents report that accumulating rubbish and sewage in public spaces has rendered parts of the densely populated area virtually uninhabitable, driving urgent demands for political change.
In Ward 75, one of Johannesburg’s most densely populated areas, infrastructure challenges remain critical. Beyond the pervasive illegal dumping, residents are contending with electricity outages, water interruptions, overflowing sewage, and poor sanitation. Piles of refuse are visible on almost every corner, and raw sewage runs through the streets, raising significant public health and safety concerns.
The current refuse crisis is compounded by municipal labor disputes. Earlier this year in July, more than 300 casual workers contracted through the city’s “Pick it Up” waste removal service demanded permanent employment, resulting in uncollected rubbish piling up across the community. Additionally, residents highlighted the city’s ongoing 5 billion financial challenge regarding employee commitments as a contributing factor to the service delivery breakdown. In the 2021 local government elections, the ANC secured Ward 75 with 31.7% of the vote, but persistent service delivery issues have fueled ongoing voter dissatisfaction.
A local activist and resident described the daily toll of the crisis, noting that illegal dumping is a severe community problem. “We can’t sleep because people burn it in the middle of the night,” He stated, adding that the streets are filled with rubbish and rats. He criticized the lack of intervention from national and provincial governments, comparing the situation to an unauthorized refuse dump in the township. He also pointed out that container houses built by the national Department of Water in 2020 remain unallocated, leaving families in hostels and informal settlements living in squalor.
Despite the challenges, He is actively encouraging approximately 8,000 registered voters in the township to participate in the democratic process. He is voting for change and urged the more than 70 political parties and independent candidates contesting in Alexandra to set aside political differences. “They must all come together and fix Alexandra so that the future of our children can be that of a better society,” he said. Addressing the youth, He warned against apathy, urging them to vote rather than sitting around smoking hubbly bubbly. He cautioned that with the rapid arrival of artificial intelligence and fast-changing global dynamics, failing to participate will leave young people behind.
The prevailing sentiment among voters is that the upcoming municipal elections are strictly about service delivery. Many residents expressed a desire to “try another horse,” indicating that the current political leadership is not a “galloping horse” capable of addressing the crisis swiftly. Meanwhile, other residents, confirmed their intention to vote but remain undecided on which political party to support. Ultimately, the community’s unified demand is for effective, responsive leadership to resolve the township’s ongoing infrastructure and sanitation emergencies.
