Frustration and disillusionment grip Kimberley residents as they dismiss promises made by politicians during campaign visits ahead of next year’s elections.
President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the Northern Cape on Friday, assuring citizens that “change is coming.” However, years of unfulfilled commitments have left many unconvinced, particularly regarding critical issues like access to clean water and sanitation.
“No Hope Things Will Change”
A local resident expressed skepticism, saying, “There is no hope that things will change next year. We are going to local government elections. It is the only time that you will see them coming to knock at our doors asking for votes.”
Another resident from the Scandal informal settlement, where hundreds share a single toilet, lamented the lack of direct engagement with the president. “We could have told him about the water situation and a lot of things. The most important thing is our water. We need more taps because we only have one, and sometimes the water comes out dirty,” they said.
Sewage and Infrastructure Crisis
At Chris Hani Park, damaged water and sewage pipes have created dire living conditions. One resident described the chaos: “How does it affect us? By the fight. We’re starting by the fight because she’s closing that side, I closed her side. And as you can see, the papers around us, the whole street—the water, the papers, and plastics are just stuck there.”
Another resident shared his ordeal with sewage flooding his yard, accusing the municipality of neglect. “We’ve been calling. They haven’t been coming. They came last Sunday and said, ‘No, it opened itself out,’ and left. After three days, it came again. You can’t even leave the yard—it’s everywhere, even at the front gate. The neighbors are complaining because it seeps through the walls.”
Funding and Overburdened Infrastructure
Officials accompanying the president acknowledged that funding remains a major challenge. They revealed that Kimberley’s infrastructure was originally built for a much smaller population, which has since grown sevenfold, exacerbating service delivery failures.
As election campaigning intensifies, residents say they have lost faith in political promises and are considering holding leaders accountable at the ballot box. “They have failed us,” one resident declared. “The people should punish them at the ballot box.”
With basic services in disarray and trust in government eroding, Kimberley’s voters are demanding tangible solutions—not just campaign trail assurances.