Editorial: Voters deserve credible leaders

THERE can be no doubt that the upcoming local government elections will be a defining moment in our democratic history.

For every political party contesting these polls, the stakes are high.

As our democracy matures, voters are increasingly making their electoral choices on much more than political sentiments.

They are looking for political parties that offer practical solutions to the daily challenges that confront them.

They are searching for parties that care as much as they do about their safety, the state of their roads, the quality of their water and the price of their electricity.

Voters are looking for leaders who are genuinely dedicated to the plight of the poor as eagerly as they serve the interests of the rich.

In this environment, political parties have no option but to up their game and nominate only the best from their ranks to serve as councillors.

Today we report on the process undertaken by the ANC and the DA as they nominate candidates they believe would best represent them in council after the elections.

What is clear from both parties is that each spot on their candidate lists is highly contested.

As we move closer to the elections, the jostling for positions will most certainly get even more brutal.

In a country such as ours – where more than a quarter of the adult population is jobless – contestation for political office is as much about power and influence as it is about employment.

This is precisely why it is vital for political parties to make carefully considered decisions about who they put forward as candidates.

Voters deserve credible leaders for whom political power is not about collecting a monthly pay cheque, but about working daily, with accountability, to change the lives of people, one community at a time.