"We've decided not to vote.
asserted
We → decide → ?
At all," Vatiswa Zoya said two days before voters in South Africa cast their ballots for new municipal government leaders.
asserted
voters → say → leaders
We will still sleep hungry."
These very same frustrations are what will lead 22-year-old Lindokuhle Mbandazayo to the polls, although she has yet to decide where to place her cross.
asserted
she → sleep → cross
"When we vote for councilors, we ask them to fix the area," Mbandazayo told DW.
asserted
Mbandazayo → vote → DW
"The electricity goes off regularly here.
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electricity → go → ?
There is also sewage in the streets, and we have to jump over this.
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we → be → this
There are a lot of things that need to be fixed here."
asserted
that → be → things
Both women live in Tembisa, a township in Ekurhuleni, a municipality on the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city.
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women → live → Johannesburg
Both express an "embedded frustration" over their living conditions.
asserted
Both → express → conditions
Sanusha Naidu, an analyst at the Institute for Global Dialogue, said it was this "embedded frustration" that prompts people to vote.
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that → say → people
"Your vote actually puts some of these political parties' feet to the fire, but I think that frustration is also inherently coming from the fact that it's not going to happen overnight," Naidu said.
asserted
Naidu → put → fact
On Wednesday, South Africans will vote in municipal elections that will determine control of the country's largest cities and test whether the African National Congress (ANC), the leading party in the national government coalition, continues its electoral decline.
asserted
Congress → vote → decline
Here are five things to know about Wednesday's election.
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things → know → election
1. Water is a key voter issue
Many voters will be motivated by whether they can shower or not on election day, as many parts of South Africa experience water supply issues.
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parts → motivate → issues
In Johannesburg, several neighborhoods have faced water cuts and rationing for weeks as old infrastructure struggles to keep up with supply.
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infrastructure → face → supply
"Every province has an issue.
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province → have → issue
So if we take for example drinking water quality, half of the drinking water systems in South Africa are not fit for drinking," Ferrial Adam, executive director of water rights NGO WaterCAN, told DW at a protest over water cuts in Johannesburg.
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Adam → take → Johannesburg
"Almost 70% of our wastewater treatment works are in a critical state and spewing sewage into rivers and streams across the country," Adam said.
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Adam → spew → country
"It is a definite water crisis across South Africa," she added.
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she → add → Africa
In Tshwane, a metropolitan area that includes South Africa's administrative capital, Pretoria, a recent water treatment failure left more than 400 residents sick.
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failure → include → residents
Sanusha Naidu, an analyst at the Institute for Global Dialogue, said that, despite widespread worries about water quality and supply, many candidates have not provided adequate details on their solutions.
asserted
candidates → say → solutions
"I think their promises have been very transactional," Naidu said.
asserted
Naidu → think → ?
"Their promises are always, you know: 'We're going to bring water to your community.
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We → know → community
We're going to make sure the taps are flowing.
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taps → go → ?
We're going to ensure that we're going to deal with the old infrastructure around water, etc.'
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we → go → etc
But I don't think they've dug deeper in terms of understanding what the budgets say about water access."
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budgets → think → access
2. ANC in decline
Many voters place blame for the state of municipalities on the African National Congress, which has historically held an outright majority in most municipalities.
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which → place → municipalities
In 2016 the ANC secured 53.91% of the overall vote and had an outright majority in 161 of 213 councils.
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ANC → secure → councils
In 2021, that decreased to 45.59% of the overall vote with a majority in 122 of 213 municipalities.
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that → decrease → municipalities
The global marketing research firm Ipsos predicts that the party's support could fall as low as 30% in this election, resulting in an increase in coalition-run municipalities.
uncertain
support → predict → municipalities
Naidu said the party had struggled to keep up with the expectations of evolving voters, particularly the Millennial and Gen Zdemographics, who now make up the bulk of voters.
asserted
who → say → voters
"You have an electorate that wants to see who are these people that you're putting out there to say you're going to make things work for us," Naidu said.
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Naidu → have → us
She is casting a ballot in her second election and said she was looking for a new voice in politics.
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she → cast → politics
"We need change," Mbandazayo said.
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Mbandazayo → need → change
"I am considering voting for another party because the current party is not doing well for us because we've been voting for them for a long time."
asserted
we → consider → time
South Africa has seen a wave of protests around migration for several months, ramping up in October with opposition to the country's asylum process.
asserted
Africa → see → process
According to Murmur Intelligence, a digital analysis firm, parties such as Action SA, the MK Party and the Patriotic Alliance have used immigration as a campaign issue.
uncertain
parties → accord → issue
"The party that might claim the most benefit from that sentiment … is Action SA," Murmur Intelligence co-founder Aldu Cornelissen said.
uncertain
Cornelissen → claim → sentiment
"They would make a clear argument that we need to get rid of illegal immigrants.
asserted
we → make → immigrants
We need to improve immigration.
asserted
We → need → immigration
…and 22 more, not listed.
The Aporia
