As South Africa prepares for the upcoming Local Government Elections in November, political parties are expected to intensify their campaigns in a bid to win the confidence of voters. However, political analysts say rebuilding public trust may prove to be the biggest challenge ahead of the polls.
Beyond concerns over service delivery, such as water, sanitation and infrastructure, voters are increasingly looking for leaders who are credible, accountable and actively engaged in their communities.
Speaking to VOC News, political analyst and Director at the Rivonia Circle, Tessa Dooms, said trust in political parties has reached critically low levels, making it the defining issue of the election campaign.
“A recent study showed something quite concerning. The biggest issue that voters have is trust. Before we even get to issues like water, sanitation, potholes or any other service delivery concerns, political parties have to figure out how to rebuild trust with residents because the levels of trust in the
country are terribly low,” Dooms said.
“To give you an example, when people were asked if they trust the military, about 50% said they do. But when they were asked if they trust political parties, that number was just 11%.
That is an incredibly low figure. Political parties need to return to communities, root themselves there, and ensure residents believe they are working in the interests of communities rather than their own parties.”
Dooms also said political campaigning has shifted significantly over the years, with many parties placing greater emphasis on digital platforms and mainstream media instead of direct engagement with voters.
“Political parties have a term they use called the ‘air war’. It refers to the focus on social media and mainstream media campaigns. I think this has become one of the fundamental flaws in modern campaigning because parties are spending less time campaigning in people’s communities and engaging with voters face-to-face,” she said.
She argued that meaningful community engagement will be essential for parties hoping to earn the confidence of voters ahead of the local government elections.
Listen to the full interview below:
Photo: VOCfm/Stock
