Residents of the Kai !Garib Municipality in the Northern Cape say access to basic municipal services has become an uphill battle. Community members in the region situated a few kilometres outside Upington say they have been battling to get water and proper toilets for nearly two decades.

With South Africa gearing towards local government elections, many say they are tired of the government’s failure and have now pinned their hope on new parties and independent candidates.

“Currently the problem that we are facing is service delivery. First of all, when we woke up this morning there was no water in the area. Secondly, with the sewage and pit toilets in the area, some of them are actually a danger to society. So those are some of the challenges we are currently facing and the municipality does not even worry about these things and in the time of COVID-19, we must look at these things, we can’t live like this,” says a resident.

“When one talks to them, they will tell you that whatever is going on in your yard is your responsibility. I am going to vote for a different political party because I don’t receive any help from them,” adds the resident.

VIDEO: LGE 2021 – A number of small parties contesting elections in the Kai !Gariep municipality: