LETTER: Local elections a test of voters’ commitment to fighting corruption

Corruption has been a huge hindrance to the development of this country and people must make their voices heard by voting the guilty parties out.

There are leaders who act in contrast to what they always preach. There are leaders who are willing to kill for a position in local government, yet people still vote them in. This time, people must act against this autocratic tendency. They must choose leaders who will serve them selflessly. Leaders who lead through consent of the people and not coercion.

If these tendencies are rooted out we will be a step closer to alleviating corruption. We will be one step ahead of dealing with political killings, which are mainly driven by a thirst for power. People must remember that local government elections are about them, not the people they will be voting for, because the same people may not represent their interests even though they got the most votes in community meetings (in the case of the ANC candidate selection process).

This is what makes these elections so important. It will test whether we are indeed committed to fighting the scourge of corruption associated with incumbency. 

Tom Mhlanga
Braamfontein

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